Little Punch and his stuffed orangutan
A little monkey rejected by his mother, a stuffed animal from IKEA and, now, millions of fans: the story of the cute Punch, the new Internet sensation.
A young six-month-old Japanese macaque named Punch has become one of the most beloved figures on social media in recent days. All thanks to a video that moved internet users around the world.
Abandoned and rejected by his own group, including his own mother, Punch currently lives in the Ichikawa City Zoo, on the outskirts of Tokyo. He almost always clings to an orangutan stuffed animal, his greatest comfort.
In recent times, videos of Punch, also referred to as Punch-kun, have racked up tens of millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, with some surpassing the 30 million mark, according to . There are already thousands of illustrations and tributes created by fans. The phenomenon had a commercial impact on IKEA’s sales of the stuffed animal “” in several countries.
The phenomenon also reached television. Host Stephen Colbert mentioned Punch in his show’s opening monologue, making a joke about the stuffed animal “Djungelskog” and suggesting that perhaps this kind of comfort was exactly what many people needed right now.
A troubled life
Born in July last year, the little monkey was rejected by his biological mother, something the zoo probably associates with a difficult birth during an intense heat wave. Without normal maternal care, Punch was left in the care of zoo staff and, during the first months of his life, his main social contact was with humans.
This start complicated his integration process into the group of monkeys in the enclosure known as “Monkey Mountain”. In January, the keepers began their reintegration into the community, a step considered essential for long-term development. But the adaptation proved to be very difficult.
Japanese macaques live in strict social hierarchies, and juveniles often learn group rules from their mothers. Without this maternal reference, Punch had difficulty understanding how to interact with the other elements. Several videos that have gone viral show him shyly approaching older monkeys, seeking contact and acceptance. But he is always shunned or ignored — or attacked.
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An inseparable companion
That’s why the keepers decided to offer him an orangutan stuffed animal, to give him emotional comfort and, at the same time, encourage you to develop muscular strength when carrying it. The plan turned out in an unexpectedly touching way.
Punch adopted the teddy bear as his own inseparable companion. He hugs him, drags him and rarely lets go. In one of the most shared videos in recent days, the little monkey is seen trying to “force” the stuffed animal to hug him back, in a gesture that many internet users interpreted as a portrait of loneliness and the search for affection.
WATCH – Heart wrenching scene: Little Punch was bullied again by a bigger monkey, who dragged her harshly across the ground. She cried and ran back to clutch her adoptive mother doll for comfort
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper)
Zoo clarifies “bullying”
Many classified the interactions between Punch and the other monkeys as “bullying”. But the Ichikawa Zoo released a clarification with a more balanced reading of the situation.
According to the zoo, although Punch is sometimes scolded by the other monkeys, he demonstrates strong mental resilience and recovers quickly. The institution emphasizes that the fact that he is repeatedly removed when trying to communicate with various group members should not only be seen as something to be pitied, but also as part of a process of social learning and development. More than lamenting, the public should see the situation as a reason to support and “root” for little Punch’s persistence.
In fact, other videos show Punch being combed by a monkey his own age, an important gesture of social acceptance, and playing with younger individuals.
Today, Punch-kun received a lot of care. One monkey spent time with him and groomed him, and he even made a new friend. I’m really happy to see that.
Stay strong, little Punch!
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors)
Many TikTok users even began toying with the idea that his roommates only began to accept him after his online fame.
