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Over at the Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, Punch the baby monkey continues to find his footing. The 7-month-old macaque—also known as Panchi—has captured the hearts of millions on social media during the past few weeks, thanks in no small part to his deep attachment to an orangutan plushie from IKEA.
Born in July 2025, Punch was rejected by his mother at birth and hand-raised by zookeepers, who gave him the stuffed toy as a surrogate. A few months later, on January 19, 2026, the baby monkey was finally introduced to the rest of the zoo’s macaque troop. But, no matter how adorable he is, Punch hasn’t had the easiest time fitting in. He has been filmed several times being dragged and chased by fellow macaques; sitting alone while tightly clutching his orangutan for comfort; and hiding from the larger group, once again cuddling the plushie in isolation. Punch’s difficulty assimilating most likely stems from his darker fur, his inability to vocalize, his lack of proper socialization, and his distinct smell, all due to only having lived with humans until recently.
“[Without his mother], Punch may not develop the appropriate subordinate responses to show they submit to the dominance, which could have ongoing implications for the way they integrate into the group as an adult,” Alison Behie, a primatology expert at Australian National University, told The Guardian, adding that maternal abandonment is typically unusual. “In Punch’s case, their mother was a first-time mother, indicating inexperience. Zookeepers also suggest Punch was born during a heatwave, which would be a high stress environment.”
Despite his rocky beginning, it seems like Punch’s online popularity is starting to translate into real life. A recent video shows Punch happily eating with an adult macaque—until another monkey expresses curiosity in the baby’s beloved orangutan. He quickly rushes to defend his plushie, clinging to it as other monkeys pass by around him (this time, they don’t stop to bully him). In another clip, Punch is grabbing onto a zookeeper’s arm as he feeds the other macaques in the enclosure. Even as the zookeeper flings food around, Punch refuses to let go, content and along for the ride.
“It looks like they’re carrying Punch around so the other monkeys see he’s part of the food distribution and so further include him,” one user commented on Reddit. Another added: “They better pick up Punch every damn time!”
Baby Punch has also shown off his bipedal skills, with yet another recent video depicting him walking around the enclosure on two legs. As he wanders around, he drags his orangutan behind him, the other monkeys watching him from behind a set of rocks. “He walks just like my 14 month old,” someone commented, adding to the video’s charm.
As Punch continues to adjust to his new home, we’ll be sure to share updates. For now, though, it seems like he’s slowly growing into a thriving member of the macaque troop.
Over at the Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, Punch the baby monkey is starting to find his footing—literally—with the rest of the macaque troop.
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The 7-month-old macaque first gained popularity after videos surfaced of him being bullied by fellow monkeys and clutching an orangutan plush for comfort.
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Zookeepers first gave Punch the IKEA plushie as a surrogate after he was rejected by his mother at birth.
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Since being introduced to the rest of the troop in January 2026, Punch has slowly been adjusting to his new home, all while capturing the hearts of millions on social media.
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Source: The tragedy of Punch the monkey: why do mother animals abandon their offspring?
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Punch the Baby Monkey Is Now Being Guarded by at Least Two Adult Members of His Troop
Internet Is Rejoicing That Punch, the Baby Monkey Who Clung to His Stuffed Animal, Is Making Friends
Baby Monkey Abandoned by Mother Finds Comfort in Orangutan Plushie and the Internet’s Heart Swells
