PUNCH, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo, went viral after videos showed him carrying and hugging a stuffed orangutan, his substitute for a mother who abandoned him during a heat wave.
Reports say the lonely infant struggled to bond with other monkeys and instead clung to the long-armed plush from IKEA, holding it the way baby macaques instinctively cling to their mothers.
The clips spread quickly across TikTok, Instagram and X under #HangInTherePunch.
Now, there’s progress. Recent videos show Punch beginning to groom and interact with other monkeys, a crucial step in social bonding.
“It's been great to see him starting to groom, because that's the key way these primates can start to build up friendships with the monkeys within their group,” said Matt Lovatt of Trentham Monkey Forest, speaking to BBC Breakfast on February 21, 2026.
Reports say zoo staff believe the toy offered comfort when he needed it most until he was ready to let go and connect with his own kind. (JMT)