A young macaque that captured the affection of animal lovers around the world is gradually learning to live among his troop after a difficult start to life at a Japanese zoo.
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Punch, now seven months old, first drew widespread attention when photographs showed him dragging around an oversized plush orangutan toy for comfort. The soft toy, an Ikea Djungelskog, had been given to him by keepers at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo after he was rejected by his mother shortly after birth. At the time, the infant monkey appeared isolated within the enclosure. When older macaques pushed him away, Punch would often retreat to the toy, clinging tightly to it as a source of reassurance.
In recent weeks, however, zookeepers say his behaviour has begun to change. The youngster has started interacting more with the other monkeys, occasionally climbing on their backs, sitting close to adults and even receiving grooming from members of the group. Visitors have been closely following his progress. Sanae Izumi, 61, who travelled from Osaka to see Punch after hearing about his story, said she felt relieved by the signs of improvement.
“It’s encouraging to see him growing and beginning to settle in,” she said. “He’s incredibly charming.”
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According to zookeeper Kosuke Kano, helping Punch adapt to life within the group remains the team’s main priority. “Our most important task is teaching him the rules of monkey society so that he can be accepted as part of the troop,” he explained. Punch’s mother is believed to have abandoned him soon after birth, possibly due to exhaustion. Keepers stepped in to care for the infant and introduced the toy to help him practise clinging behaviour — a vital survival skill for newborn macaques.
Early footage from the enclosure showed Punch being chased or dragged by older monkeys, while he wandered alone clutching the plush toy. The scenes prompted discussion online about why such abandonment occurs. Alison Behie, a primatologist at the Australian National University, noted that while maternal rejection is uncommon, it can happen under certain circumstances. Factors such as the mother’s age, health or lack of experience may play a role.
“In Punch’s case, his mother was a first-time parent, which suggests inexperience may have contributed,” she said.
The monkey’s story quickly gained attention online, attracting large numbers of visitors to the zoo. In response, staff introduced measures to reduce stress for the animals, including limiting viewing times to 10 minutes and asking guests to remain quiet near the enclosure. Zoo officials are now encouraged by signs that Punch is relying less on his plush companion as he becomes more comfortable around the other macaques.
Director Shigekazu Mizushina said the hope is that the young monkey will soon no longer need the toy at all. “When he eventually grows out of it, that will show he has gained independence,” he said. For now, Punch still sleeps beside the toy each night, but keepers are optimistic that before long he may instead curl up alongside the other monkeys in his troop.
