<p>Punch, the monkey who went viral for carrying an orange comfort plushie after being pushed away by his mother, seems to have found love. The macaque has been seen cuddling and kissing a female macaque believed to be named Momo-chan at Japan's Ichikawa City Zoo. Videos posted on X and other social media platforms show Punch playing around with Momo-chan. The duo can be seen chasing each other, jumping around and having a good time in different clips posted on the internet. His orange plushie orangutan can also be seen lying right next to them as they hug and cuddle each other. Punch attracted online attention after he was seen carrying the long-legged toy with him after being shunned by his mother and bullied by other monkeys. Seeing him all alone, zoo workers gave him a towel and another soft toy to ease his loneliness. Punch chose the orangutan plushie and always kept it with him.</p><h2><strong>Videos of Punch with his lover and friends</strong></h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">&quot;Punch&quot;:<br>Porque se hizo una novia que lo manosea a cada rato para jugar con él.<a href="https://t.co/1VSVyE8Q21">pic.twitter.com/1VSVyE8Q21</a></p>&mdash; Tendencias (@TTendenciaX) <a href="https://twitter.com/TTendenciaX/status/2033650694465478952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Punch was happily cuddling with his Oran Mama plush when Momiage came over and invited him to play. They started their cute wrestling game—until a bigger monkey got jealous and scared them off! 😠 Momiage ran one way, and Punch dashed back to grab his plushie before bolting to… <a href="https://t.co/bAn7JLY0MC">pic.twitter.com/bAn7JLY0MC</a></p>&mdash; Therapeutic Videos (@therapeuticvids) <a href="https://twitter.com/therapeuticvids/status/2033447587488190901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-punch-stroked-our-emotional-side-we-ignored-dark-lives-of-macaque-monkeys-1772022551764"><strong>As Punch stroked our emotional side, we ignored dark lives of macaque monkeys</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Punch seen engaging with other monkeys&nbsp;</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He made people weep on the internet who sympathised with the animal, which was relying on a toy for company after being left all alone. Visitors started to reach the zoo located near Tokyo to see the viral monkey in the flesh with his plushie. However, things have taken a turn for Punch, who not only has found love but also gained friends. The latest pictures show him mingling with other monkeys, as they groom him and even carry him on their backs. He is now exhibiting and has entered social relations common with monkeys. When the Ichikawa City Zoo workers gave Punch the orange orangutan plushie, they were hoping that he would outgrow it soon. Zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina said at the time, "When he grows out of the plush toy that encourages his independence, and that's what we are hoping for."</p><p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hang-in-there-punch-rejected-baby-monkey-carries-plushie-everywhere-internet-rallies-behind-him-this-is-his-story-1771568748975"><strong>Meet internet's new sweetheart: Punch, baby monkey who carries a plushie everywhere. THIS is his story</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">子ザルのパンチくんの大冒険🐒<br>パンチ&amp;モエ デート中にキス💋💕<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%81%8C%E3%82%93%E3%81%B0%E3%82%8C%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#がんばれパンチ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#パンチ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Punch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Punch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Panchi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Panchi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81%E3%81%8F%E3%82%93%E3%81%AE%E5%A4%A7%E5%86%92%E9%99%BA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#パンチくんの大冒険</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PunchTheMonkey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PunchTheMonkey</a> <a href="https://t.co/kGyiwxX9D0">pic.twitter.com/kGyiwxX9D0</a></p>&mdash; ミハミハ (@mihamiha_trend) <a href="https://twitter.com/mihamiha_trend/status/2033781501759000657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Ichikawa City Zoo insisted that Punch was never bullied by his mates. "Although Punch has been scolded many times by other monkeys, no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him," the zoo posted on social media. Videos showed the other monkeys pushing him, but the zoo said they do not want people to feel sorry for him, and instead they should "support Punch's effort" when he "tries to communicate with them."&nbsp;</p>

Punch baby monkey has found a lover and also friends at the Japanese zoo. He was seen hitching a ride on the back of one of the monkeys and cuddling and kissing his partner. The macaque went viral after he was seen dragging a plushie everywhere because he had no one else to talk to. 

Punch, the monkey who went viral for carrying an orange comfort plushie after being pushed away by his mother, seems to have found love. The macaque has been seen cuddling and kissing a female macaque believed to be named Momo-chan at Japan's Ichikawa City Zoo. Videos posted on X and other social media platforms show Punch playing around with Momo-chan. The duo can be seen chasing each other, jumping around and having a good time in different clips posted on the internet. His orange plushie orangutan can also be seen lying right next to them as they hug and cuddle each other. Punch attracted online attention after he was seen carrying the long-legged toy with him after being shunned by his mother and bullied by other monkeys. Seeing him all alone, zoo workers gave him a towel and another soft toy to ease his loneliness. Punch chose the orangutan plushie and always kept it with him. Videos of Punch with his lover and friends

<p>Punch baby monkey has found a lover and also friends at the Japanese zoo. He was seen hitching a ride on the back of one of the monkeys and cuddling and kissing his partner. The macaque went viral after he was seen dragging a plushie everywhere because he had no one else to talk to.&nbsp;</p>

Viral baby monkey Punch lucks out; finds love, kisses and friends - VIDEO

<p>Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have shown interest in buying Punch, the macaque monkey currently living in Ichikawa City Zoo. The monkey’s videos have gone viral, and people not only in Japan but across the globe are showing a soft side to his videos online. As Punch has become the internet's favourite Tate brother, make an offer to buy the 7-month-old for $250,000.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In an X post, Tristan has enquired “which zoo owns this monkey”.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Which Zoo owns this monkey.<a href="https://twitter.com/Cobratate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cobratate</a> and I will buy it.<br><br>250,000 dollars.<br><br>I am NOT joking. <a href="https://t.co/44UXASPwsO">https://t.co/44UXASPwsO</a></p>&mdash; Tristan Tate (@TateTheTalisman) <a href="https://twitter.com/TateTheTalisman/status/2024593512532939254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-punch-stroked-our-emotional-side-we-ignored-dark-lives-of-macaque-monkeys-1772022551764"><strong>As Punch stroked our emotional side, we ignored dark lives of macaque monkeys</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The little baby had been abandoned by his mother days after his birth and is now seen dragging an orange orangutan soft toy, which he cling on to for support and uses as a shield. As the offer from self-styled “misogynist influencer” surfaced online, some X users have lashed out in the comment section. A user Brick Suit wrote, “The last thing any zoo should do is sell a monkey to you so you can monetize it.” And when Tate clarified his intent through his tweet, the user responded, “Thanks for confirming you wanted to monetize Punch.” While some even supported the move.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Someone needs to step in and save Baby Punch!</p>&mdash; LIZ CROKIN (@LizCrokin) <a href="https://twitter.com/LizCrokin/status/2024596873374261304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>The Punch effect:</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>As the 7-month-old macaque monkey Punch goes viral, so has his pal, the orange orangutan soft toy. It is flying off the shelves globally. As photographs and videos of the monkey from the Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo surfaced online, he instantly became the internet’s favourite. Many even flock to the zoo to catch a glimpse of him. While many in Japan plan a visit to the zoo, others across the globe look for his toy, which is reportedly out of stock in Japan and other countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>An interesting fact about the ‘DJUNGELSKOG soft toys collection’ is that it is an awareness programme run by the Swedish company “to highlight wild animals that are endangered due to human activities”. According to its website, “Martin Petri, who works with sustainability at IKEA, was in a rainforest in Borneo in 2016. It was hot and humid. The sound from surrounding wildlife resonated intensely in all directions. High up in a tree, he caught a glimpse of an orangutan dwelling – they were back.”</p>

"I am NOT joking." Tristan Tate offers $250k to "rescue" Punch the monkey from a Japanese zoo after videos of the baby macaque went viral. 

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have shown interest in buying Punch, the macaque monkey currently living in Ichikawa City Zoo. The monkey’s videos have gone viral, and people not only in Japan but across the globe are showing a soft side to his videos online. As Punch has become the internet's favourite Tate brother, make an offer to buy the 7-month-old for $250,000. In an X post, Tristan has enquired “which zoo owns this monkey”.

<p>"I am NOT joking." Tristan Tate offers $250k to "rescue" Punch the monkey from a Japanese zoo after videos of the baby macaque went viral.&nbsp;</p>

Tate Brothers offer $250,000 to buy viral Japanese baby monkey Punch

As the 7-month-old macaque monkey Punch goes viral, so has his pal, the orange orangutan soft toy. It is flying off the shelves globally.

The Punch effect: Baby monkey's orange orangutan soft toy sold out

<p>The pace, the speed, the rush – and amid all this, a warm, heart-wrenching story surfaces; we all can do nothing but stop. To stop and pause a little may seem like a luxury, as we are constantly racing and sometimes neglecting our emotional side. On many occasions, we are guilty of even having one. But Punch, the seven-month-old macaque monkey native to Japan, was that pause we all needed. To the technical ones, it may just be a mere trend.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Emotional trigger point</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Again, it was only a trend that made many appreciate the little one and salute his struggle as he expressed his need for his mother, who abandoned him at the time of birth. We acknowledged the fight and resilience he had to show early on in life. The soft toy he has been dragging around also garnered some limelight. It is an Ikea ‘Djungelskog soft toy, orangutan’, priced at $19.99. The soft toy plays the second lead but a pivotal role in Punch’s story, and its now reportedly out of stock in Japan and other countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-punch-effect-baby-monkey-s-orange-orangutan-soft-toy-sold-out-1772031203715"><strong>The Punch effect: Baby monkey's orange orangutan soft toy sold out</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While many have rushed to buy the toy, which is now labelled a bestseller, others in Japan have queued up to catch a glimpse of Punch. The tiny primate is unaware he is making ripples on the internet, and that many think he's ‘cute’.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

7 month-old male macaque monkey named Punch

<p> </p><h2>PETA says…</h2><p>"Zoos are not sanctuaries -- they are places where animals are confined, deprived of autonomy, and denied the complex environments and social lives they would have in the wild," People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was quoted by news agency AFP.</p><p> </p><p>"What some are calling 'cute' is actually a glimpse into the trauma of a young, highly social primate coping with isolation and loss," the group's Asia director, Jason Baker, said in a statement.</p><p> </p><p>"Until facilities stop treating sentient beings as attractions, animals like Punch will continue to suffer in captivity," Baker said, calling for Punch to be moved to a "reputable sanctuary, where he could live in a more natural environment".</p><h2>Victim of illegal trade</h2><p> </p><p>But the bigger matter here is that the internet’s favourite also happens to belong to the species of primates, which are victims of laundering due to their forced involvement in biomedical research globally. Macaque monkeys are used in lab experiments and are typically part of the penultimate and crucial round before human trials.</p><p> </p><p>Illegal trade and laundering, which subjects them to harsh treatment, is the usual life for many monkeys like him. Is his presence in the Ichikawa City zoo in Tokyo a boon or a bane? Even in the wild, these monkeys have been captured and used in experiments. Sometimes treated like pests and culled.</p><p> </p><p>According to the European Animal Research Association, “All leading Covid-19 vaccine candidates (Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, J&amp;J) used rhesus macaques during preclinical testing.”</p><p> </p><p>The International Union for Conservation of Nature has reported that in the last three decades, the population of wild monkeys has declined by 50-70%. This is due to the lab demands, which lead to illegal trade and monkey laundering. These wild macaques are “funneled through breeding farms in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and exported as captive-bred animals.”</p><p> </p><h2>Medical breakthrough</h2><p> </p><ul><li>Monkeys have played an important role in the introduction of antiretroviral therapy in treating AID/HIV. They were involved in the study, which reduced the morbidity and mortality of those infected with HIV.<br> </li><li>In Parkinson’s disease, monkeys were used in the research, which led to dopaminergic therapies. <br> </li><li>Breast cancer drug Herceptin, which was earlier recommended to nursing mothers, has been reduced as a study showed that the drug was secreted in breast milk.<br> </li><li>Antidepressants were developed after research on monkeys led to the initial theory of the cause of depression.</li></ul>

Punch, the macaque monkey photographed with his soft toy, has become an internet sensation. Even his orange orangutan toy has now gone off the shelves, but here's what needs more attention.

The pace, the speed, the rush – and amid all this, a warm, heart-wrenching story surfaces; we all can do nothing but stop. To stop and pause a little may seem like a luxury, as we are constantly racing and sometimes neglecting our emotional side. On many occasions, we are guilty of even having one. But Punch, the seven-month-old macaque monkey native to Japan, was that pause we all needed. To the technical ones, it may just be a mere trend. Emotional trigger point Again, it was only a trend that made many appreciate the little one and salute his struggle as he expressed his need for his mother, who abandoned him at the time of birth. We acknowledged the fight and resilience he had to show early on in life. The soft toy he has been dragging around also garnered some limelight. It is an Ikea ‘Djungelskog soft toy, orangutan’, priced at $19.99. The soft toy plays the second lead but a pivotal role in Punch’s story, and its now reportedly out of stock in Japan and other countries. Also read: The Punch effect: Baby monkey's orange orangutan soft toy sold out While many have rushed to buy the toy, which is now labelled a bestseller, others in Japan have queued up to catch a glimpse of Punch. The tiny primate is unaware he is making ripples on the internet, and that many think he's ‘cute’.

<p>Punch, the macaque monkey photographed with his soft toy, has become an internet sensation. Even his orange orangutan toy has now gone off the shelves, but here's what needs more attention.</p>

As Punch stroked our emotional side, we ignored dark lives of macaque monkeys

<p>While the internet can be a negative space, there are times when online communities can help make the world feel a bit brighter. This time, netizens are ralllying to assist an infant monkey shunned by its mother. The internet has fallen in love with a six-month-old Japanese macaque at Japan's City Zoo. Punch the monkey (Panchi-kun in Japanese) is now all over the internet after videos and pics of him dragging around an orangutan plushie went viral. This is Punch's story.</p><h2><strong>Who is Punch the macaque?</strong></h2><p>Punch, born July 2025, is a Japanese macaque born to a first-time mother who rejected him. According to Mainichi Shimbun, citing the Zoo staff, maternal rejection can occur in inexperienced mother who struggle to establish a bond with their offspring.</p><p>The now-viral primate was born healthy, but after being rejected by his mother, he was in a vulnerable state. Because of this, zookeepers Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi started hand-rearing Punch.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">～お知らせ～<br>現在、サル山の中にぬいぐるみを持った子ザルがいます。<br>2025年7月26日に生まれ、放置されていたところから人工哺育で育ち、今年の1月19日から群れで過ごしています。<br>名前は「パンチ」という男の子です！<br>パンチの成長を暖かく見守ってください！<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E5%B8%82%E5%B7%9D%E5%B8%82%E5%8B%95%E6%A4%8D%E7%89%A9%E5%9C%92?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#市川市動植物園</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%9B%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B6%E3%83%AB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ニホンザル</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#パンチ</a> <a href="https://t.co/jNpFSH0LOV">pic.twitter.com/jNpFSH0LOV</a></p>&mdash; 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ichikawa_zoo/status/2019304990565904830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2><strong>Why does Punch carry a plushie?</strong></h2><p>As babies, macaques depend on their mothers for warmth, reassurance, and physical development. Without this physical contact, young monkeys can develop psychological stress and experience social difficulties. To avoid this, the zoo staff got Punch substitutes, including rolled towels and soft toys.</p><p>Eventually, Punch the monkey got attached to the orangutan plushie, which he now carries with him everywhere. The zookeepers compare the plushie to a "surrogate mother" for the emancipated monkey.</p><p>He’s just a baby</p><p>Punch has since been reintroduced to his own kind, but often gets scolded by the other monkeys. Due to this, he would often retreat to his trusted plushie, even hiding behind it. Videos of his heartbreaking behaviour soon went viral online, with people showing up in droves to see the little monkey.</p><p>Punch soon became an online phenomenon with thousands of shares with the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The story of Punch-kun, known as Punch, the baby monkey, who was rejected by his mother.<br><br>Punch, is a seven-month-old baby macaque monkey who inhabits the Ichikawa Zoo in Japan.<br>Born in July 2025, Punch had to swallow a harsh reality when his birth mother refused and abandoned… <a href="https://t.co/DNS2LV5B7F">pic.twitter.com/DNS2LV5B7F</a></p>— 👉M-Û-R-Č-H👈 (@TheEXECUTlONER_) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEXECUTlONER_/status/2024319408034697237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Recently, a video of Punch being dragged around by an adult monkey went viral. The video appears to have been taken in the morning of February 19th, clarified the zoo.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Leave Punch-kun alone 😭💔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%81%8C%E3%82%93%E3%81%B0%E3%82%8C%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#がんばれパンチ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HangInTherePunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HangInTherePunch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E5%B8%82%E5%B7%9D%E5%B8%82%E5%8B%95%E6%A4%8D%E7%89%A9%E5%9C%92?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#市川市動植物園</a> <a href="https://t.co/AWXEknMQKy">https://t.co/AWXEknMQKy</a> <a href="https://t.co/1moEBUZLcd">pic.twitter.com/1moEBUZLcd</a></p>— Instant Loan Hub (@InstantLoan_Hub) <a href="https://twitter.com/InstantLoan_Hub/status/2024709463081460028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>The Ichikawa Zoo, in a statement on X, explained that "It seems that the monkey who dragged Punch down this time was the mother of the baby monkey with whom Punch was trying to communicate. The mother probably thought that her baby monkey had been treated badly, and thought to Punch, 'Don't do such mean things to your baby monkey'."</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">昨日(2/19)に撮影されたと思われる<br>「パンチが群れのサルに引きずられている動画」について<br><br>添付をご一読ください。<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E5%B8%82%E5%B7%9D%E5%B8%82%E5%8B%95%E6%A4%8D%E7%89%A9%E5%9C%92?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#市川市動植物園</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E5%B8%82%E5%B7%9D%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#市川ファン</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E3%81%8C%E3%82%93%E3%81%B0%E3%82%8C%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#がんばれパンチ</a> <a href="https://t.co/rT128eCraj">pic.twitter.com/rT128eCraj</a></p>— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ichikawa_zoo/status/2024711162664013933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>After Punch went viral, IKEA Japan’s president visited him and donated multiple replacement plushies to ensure that the little monkey continues to have comfort as he gradually integrates with his troop.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Punch, the baby monkey who went viral for clinging to a plush toy after being abandoned by his mother, was visited by IKEA Japan’s president.<br><br>During the visit, IKEA donated multiple replacement DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plushies, affectionately nicknamed “Oran Mama” by fans, to… <a href="https://t.co/nPRGDbYxou">pic.twitter.com/nPRGDbYxou</a></p>— Complex (@Complex) <a href="https://twitter.com/Complex/status/2024296672830935526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A six-month-old Japanese macaque named Punch has become an unlikely internet star after videos showed him clinging to an orangutan plushie at Ichikawa City Zoo. This is his story.

While the internet can be a negative space, there are times when online communities can help make the world feel a bit brighter. This time, netizens are ralllying to assist an infant monkey shunned by its mother. The internet has fallen in love with a six-month-old Japanese macaque at Japan's City Zoo. Punch the monkey (Panchi-kun in Japanese) is now all over the internet after videos and pics of him dragging around an orangutan plushie went viral. This is Punch's story. Who is Punch the macaque? Punch, born July 2025, is a Japanese macaque born to a first-time mother who rejected him. According to Mainichi Shimbun, citing the Zoo staff, maternal rejection can occur in inexperienced mother who struggle to establish a bond with their offspring. The now-viral primate was born healthy, but after being rejected by his mother, he was in a vulnerable state. Because of this, zookeepers Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi started hand-rearing Punch.

<p>A six-month-old Japanese macaque named Punch has become an unlikely internet star after videos showed him clinging to an orangutan plushie at Ichikawa City Zoo. This is his story.</p>

Meet internet's new sweetheart: Punch, baby monkey who carries a plushie everywhere. THIS is his story

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Viral baby monkey Punch lucks out; finds love, kisses and friends - VIDEO

The $250,000 offer: Andrew Tate and brother Tristan propose to buy Punch

The Punch effect: Baby monkey's orange orangutan soft toy sold out

Viral Punch: How a victim turned internet sensation highlights huge oversight

#HangInTherePunch: Baby monkey carries plushie everywhere. Here's why