Punch the Monkey: Japan's Viral Baby Macaque and His Latest Updates
The internet has a new hero, and he weighs about as much as a bag of rice. Punch the monkey — known in Japan as Panchi-kun (パンチくん) — is the undisputed feel-good viral story of 2026. This tiny, orphaned Japanese macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture has captured tens of millions of hearts worldwide with a story of loneliness, resilience, and an unlikely bond with a stuffed IKEA orangutan toy. And as of February 24, 2026, the good news keeps coming.
Who Is Punch the Monkey?
Punch the monkey was born on July 26, 2025, at the Ichikawa City Zoo. He was named after Monkey Punch, the mangaka who authored Lupin the Third. He was abandoned by his mother, who lacked interest in raising him. The day after his birth, zookeepers began hand-raising him with bottle feeding. To comfort him in the absence of a mother, they gave him an IKEA DJUNGELSKOG stuffed orangutan plush — which fans quickly nicknamed "Oran-Mama."
Punch was reportedly abandoned by his mother shortly after birth. Zookeepers stepped in to care for him and gave him the plush toy from IKEA to provide comfort, something he now carries everywhere. In videos, he can be seen toddling around the enclosure, toy in hand, trying to interact with the other monkeys.
How Punch Went Viral — and Broke the Internet
On February 5, 2026, the zoo made an online post about Punch's backstory, which became an overnight sensation. Clips of Punch racked up tens of millions of views, some surpassing the 30-million mark on TikTok and Instagram. Even Stephen Colbert referenced Punch in his late-night opening monologue.
The hashtag #がんばれパンチ — or #HangInTherePunch — began circulating online. The $20 stuffed IKEA DJUNGELSKOG orangutan toy became a $350 resale listing on eBay. Store stocks in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea are completely depleted.
The Videos That Made the World Gasp
Footage circulating on social media shows Punch, an orphaned Japanese macaque, running away from another monkey and retreating to a corner at the Ichikawa City Zoo. He then clutches his beloved orangutan plush toy, appearing to hide behind it.
The zoo responded directly, explaining in a statement: "When Punch approached another baby monkey from the troop in an attempt to communicate, the baby monkey avoided him. Punch then sat down, apparently giving up on communicating with the monkey, after which he was scolded and dragged by an adult monkey. Although Punch has been scolded many times by other monkeys, no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him. While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength."
The Latest Updates: Punch Is Making Real Progress
As of February 24, 2026, the news from Ichikawa City Zoo is genuinely hopeful:
| Date | Zoo Update |
|---|---|
| Feb. 6 | "Punch is gradually deepening his interactions with the troop" |
| Feb. 12 | Number of monkeys Punch interacts with daily steadily growing |
| Feb. 22 | Scolded in the evening but no injuries; groomed by two monkeys by 5:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 23 | No scolding observed; played with baby monkeys; ate independently |
On February 23, a keeper shared that there were no scenes of Punch being scolded that day and that he was observed playing with the other baby monkeys. During mealtime, he climbed down from the keeper's foot on his own and began eating independently.
Being groomed by multiple monkeys signals trust and social acceptance in macaque groups. Being groomed suggests that Punch is not merely tolerated — he is being incorporated.
IKEA Steps In — and Record Crowds Follow
On February 17, IKEA Japan CEO Petra Färe visited the Ichikawa City Zoo and donated 33 stuffed toys — including additional orangutans — along with storage items, to support Punch and for use in children's areas of the zoo. IKEA Japan posted publicly: "We're ALL Punch's family now."
Over Japan's three-day national holiday weekend marking the Emperor's Birthday, more than 6,000 visitors flooded the zoo in a single day, prompting entry restrictions and parking closures. Entry lines stretched up to two hours. By 3:00 p.m., staff began restricting admission to protect both guests and animals.
Punch's attachment to his IKEA plushie companion mirrors findings from Harry Harlow's landmark 1950s psychology experiments, which demonstrated that infant primates consistently preferred soft, comforting surrogate mothers over wire ones that provided only food.
The small monkey who started the year sitting alone with his stuffed orangutan is now increasingly sitting among his troop — and the whole world is watching every step.
