Viral Baby Macaque Punch Clings to Stuffed Orangutan After Rejection at Ichikawa City Zoo

Punch, a seven-month-old male Japanese macaque, was born in July 2025 at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Sleeping Monkey Punch with IKEA toy. Credit: Marco Verch

Zookeepers discovered the infant abandoned by his mother shortly after birth when a visitor alerted staff to the situation.

Hand-reared in isolation for his initial months to ensure survival, Punch received round-the-clock care from zoo personnel who bottle-fed him and monitored his development.

Zookeepers introduced Punch to a large stuffed orangutan toy, sourced from IKEA's Djungelskog line, to serve as a surrogate companion during his early isolation.

The toy, which Punch drags around the enclosure despite its size exceeding his own, provides physical support and aids in his emotional adjustment.

Videos capturing Punch hugging, grooming, and retreating to the plush after interactions with other macaques surfaced online in February 2026, accumulating millions of views across platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Punch began a gradual introduction to the zoo's macaque troop in early 2026, a process involving supervised encounters to foster socialization. Initial attempts revealed challenges, with adult macaques displaying dominance behaviors typical of the species' strict matrilineal hierarchies.

One video from mid-February showed an adult female dragging Punch across the ground after he approached her offspring, prompting widespread public reaction.

@abc7chicago Punch, the abandoned monkey who soared to fame after being seen tugging around a stuffed toy, was filmed seeking comfort with the plushie after he was beaten by older monkeys at Ichikawa Zoo in Japan on Thursday, February 19. Video taken by TikTok user @tate_punch shows Punch being thrown around by a larger monkey before running away to sit on top of his stuffed toy. The baby monkey was put into the macaque enclosure in late January following a period of hand-rearing by zoo keepers after he was abandoned by his mother. The orangutan plush was given to Punch to serve as a surrogate mother and to provide tactile comfort. #news #punch #monkey #abandonedmonkey #punchthemonkey #zoo #japan ♬ original sound - abc7chicago

The Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens addressed the incident in an official statement.

"The adult monkey that dragged Punch is probably the mother of the monkey with whom Punch tried to communicate. She probably felt that her baby was annoyed by Punch and got upset," the zoo explained.

Visitor influx surged following the videos, with over 6,000 people attending on a single day during Japan's Emperor's Birthday holiday weekend in late February 2026, leading to entry restrictions and parking closures.

Many inquired about the macaques' apparent hair loss and the enclosure's concrete-dominated design, which lacks extensive vegetation.

In response, the zoo issued details on the troop's condition. Veterinarians confirmed appropriate food intake and body weights, attributing patchy fur to natural molting cycles rather than illness or malnutrition.

The facility emphasized that abrupt environmental changes could disrupt the hierarchy and increase risks for Punch.

Recent footage from late February 2026 depicts Punch engaging more positively with the group.

He has received hugs from older macaques, participated in grooming sessions essential for bonding, and shown independent eating habits.

Zookeepers report Punch occasionally sets aside the stuffed toy to play with peers, indicating gradual acceptance within the 56-member troop.

"Although Punch has been scolded many times by other monkeys, no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him," the zoo stated.