Punch Monkey: Abandoned Baby Macaque Clings to Stuffed Toy and Wins Hearts Near Tokyo
The young macaque known as Punch Monkey has become a focal point of public sympathy after being abandoned by his mother and raised by zookeepers who introduced a stuffed orangutan as a comfort object. The story has drawn widespread online attention and illustrates the careful steps taken to return him to his troop.
Why We're Rooting for Punch Monkey
Punch was born on July 26, 2025, weighing 500 grams and showed signs of health but not maternal care; his mother, exhausted from her first birth, did not tend to him. Keepers Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi began hand-rearing the infant from the day after his birth. Because infant macaques typically cling to their mother’s fur for comfort and to build muscle, the team tried rolled-up towels and a variety of stuffed animals until Punch took to an orangutan plush, grasping it like a surrogate mother and using it to sleep at night.
How Keepers Raised and Reintroduced Punch
Rather than isolating Punch in an incubator, the staff raised him near the scent and sounds of other monkeys so he could more easily integrate later. They gradually increased his time on the monkey mountain, and on Jan. 19 he was fully reintroduced to the troop. Initially other members of the troop were wary; Punch sometimes appeared intimidated when attempting to approach and continued to cling to his stuffed companion as he adjusted to life among the group.
Social Response and next steps for punch monkey
Photos and video taken by a visitor a few days after the reintroduction were widely shared, and a post from the zoo’s official social media account presenting Punch drew thousands of reposts. A hashtag encouraging support for Punch generated extensive engagement: a social media analysis tool counted about 37, 000 posts and reposts with the hashtag between Feb. 5 and Feb. 13. Many people have shared emotional responses, saying they were moved by Punch’s journey.
The immediate focus for the caretakers remains steady integration into the troop and continued monitoring of Punch’s interactions as he matures. The team’s incremental approach — providing surrogate comforts while maintaining sensory contact with other monkeys — was designed to help Punch build the physical and social skills he missed after maternal abandonment.
- Birth: July 26, 2025, 500 grams
- Hand-rearing commenced the day after birth
- Full reintroduction to troop: Jan. 19
- Public attention surged after early-February social posts and a hashtag campaign
Recent updates indicate public interest remains high; details may evolve as Punch continues to settle within his troop and as keepers assess his long-term social progress. The care team's methods — combining surrogate comfort with exposure to the troop's environment — offer a close look at how caretakers can support infants who miss early maternal bonding.
