Punch, Internet and Ichikawa City Zoo
Digest more
Internet sensation Punch appeared to bond with an older monkey in his enclosure at Ichikawa Zoo in Ichikawa, Japan, recently shared footage shows.X user @aataroosan said she captured this video of
PETA has issued a statement on the sad reality behind Punch the baby monkey after he went viral following his mum's rejection of him at birth.
Punch, a Japanese macaque, received an outpour of online love after videos of him clutching a small orangutan plushie at the Ichikawa City Zoo went viral.
Born Free, the wildlife charity, has warned that Punch's viral fame could do more harm than good—for him and for his species.
After a clip of orphaned macaque Punch being pulled by other monkeys spread online, his Japanese zoo said the behavior reflects normal social learning within the troop.
Videos of Punch clinging to his stuffed companion spread rapidly online. The emotional turning point came when footage showed the baby monkey being bullied by other monkeys in the troop, prompting a global wave of support. Some fans even traveled to Ichikawa City Zoo to see Punch in person. The response caught staff off guard.