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Those who have been following the heartbreaking story of Punch, the monkey born in the Ichikawa City Zoo, near Tokyo, can now breathe a sigh of relief. The 7-month-old Japanese macaque is now being protected by at least two adult monkeys in his clan, and he even seems to be finally making friends.
Little Punch (known as Panchi in Japan) was sadly rejected by his mother at birth, leaving zoo caretakers to step in and raise him. To comfort himself, the tiny monkey began carrying an emotional-support orangutan plush toy everywhere he goes, rarely seen without it. Videos of the tiny monkey captured the hearts of many online, who have become fully invested in his story.
In our last update, we shared how Punch was slowly finding his footing, spending more time in the enclosure and beginning to navigate the troop’s social hierarchy. Although Punch is gradually gaining confidence and earning the care of some older monkeys, he’s still occasionally picked on. However, in a recent video, two adult monkeys are captured stepping in to shield him from the others. And in an even more remarkable turn, Punch has now been adopted by a female who has chosen to groom and care for him.
Punch is making progress every day, and these recent updates signal that he’s no longer on the fringes of the group. He’s even been spending less time with his plushie, preferring to spend time with the other monkeys who have literally welcomed him into their arms.
Many people online have shared how relieved they are to see that Punch is finally doing better. One person wrote, “This makes my day. I have been so worried for Punch,” while another commented, “This lil guy has had my heart in a chokehold all week.”
But why did Punch struggle to gain acceptance in the first place? According to Professor Jo Setchell, a primatologist at Durham University, maternal rejection is “very unusual” in macaques—something that may have put Punch at a disadvantage from the start. She says, “A baby monkey would usually have the protection and support of his mother, and learn the correct responses from her, but Punch doesn't have that support so he might not have learned the right way to behave.”
Since Punch didn’t have a mother to teach him about monkey social skills, he was initially left with just a plushie for protection while the other macaques asserted their dominance. “Macaques are highly social primates and interest in youngsters is common, including handling and carrying the infants of others,” explains Dr. Emily Bethell, associate professor in primate cognition and welfare at Liverpool John Moores University. “An abandoned youngster would be of interest to other macaques who might want to handle him, and there may be conflict over who gets hold of him.” She adds, “This can result in youngsters being handled quite roughly.”
Fortunately, Punch is quickly gaining both friends and confidence. We have no doubt he’ll continue to grow into a thriving member of the troop.
Punch the baby monkey was sadly rejected by his mother at birth, but thankfully, he’s now being protected by two adults.
Punch is being protected by two adults in his clan.
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u/Excalibur_Playz in
MadeMeSmile
The 7-month-old Japanese macaque has even been adopted by a female in his troop.
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Punch is gaining both friends and confidence every day.
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Punch seems to be having fun with his friends
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u/jerry_rappai23 in
punchthemonkey
Punch might just be the most popular monkey in the world right now—just look at the crowds lining up to see him!
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Source: Why are animals picking on Punch the monkey? Scientists reveal tragic truth about the viral macaque
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