Punch, a Japanese macaque at Ichikawa Zoo, was born in July last year and was rejected by his mother at birth. According to Kosuke Shikano, Punch's mother may have abandoned him due to extreme heat in July. After his rejection, Punch was left in the care of zoo staff, with his primary social contact being humans for months, as reported by research sources.
Zookeepers gave Punch a stuffed orangutan toy, specifically the IKEA Djungelskog, for comfort, which he bonded with. According to Kosuke Shikano, the stuffed orangutan was chosen for its resemblance to a monkey to help Punch integrate later. The stuffed toy quickly became Punch's best friend, with him cuddling it, dragging it, and rarely letting it out of sight, according to research.
One clip shows Punch crawling around trying to get the plushie to hug him back, to no avail, as noted in research. Punch is gradually integrating with his troop, as shown in recent images of him cuddling and socializing. By January, Punch was reintegrated into the troop on the zoo's 'Monkey Mountain' enclosure, but it was not easy for him at first, according to research.
Without his mother, Punch struggled to navigate macaque social life, with viral videos showing him being swatted away or ignored by older monkeys, research indicates. According to zookeepers, Punch has had some differences with other monkeys as part of the learning process, but is steadily integrating. However, Punch was later rejected a second time by other macaques in an aggressive fashion, according to major media reports from two sources.
According to Shigekazu Mizushina, Punch still sleeps with the stuffed orangutan at night but is growing more independent from it. The zoo asked the public to support Punch's efforts to socialize, noting his troop has not shown serious aggression and Punch shows mental strength. Punch has become an internet sensation, with clips racking up tens of millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, some surpassing 30 million views, according to research.
Fan art of Punch has appeared across X and Reddit, research notes. The internet has taken notice of Punch, with emotional tributes and users expressing affection and protectiveness, as reported by research. IKEA has reported a noticeable increase in sales of its orangutan plush in multiple countries due to Punch's fame, according to a statement from the company cited in research.
, and South Korea over the past few days, the company said in a statement, as per research. IKEA has leaned into Punch's newfound fame, featuring him in promotions, research indicates. Celebrity and media attention have further boosted Punch's profile, with Stephen Colbert referencing Punch during the opening monologue of his show, joking about the Djungelskog toy, according to research.
In a parallel case, Yuji is a patas monkey at Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico, rejected by his mother Kamaria, according to major media reports from two sources. According to Iván Reynoso Ruiz, Yuji's mother Kamaria showed irregular behavior after birth, leading to separation and Yuji being placed in an incubator. Yuji was given a stuffed dog as a surrogate mother and is under the care of 12 veterinarians and biologists at CIMBA, according to major media reports from two sources.
According to Iván Reynoso Ruiz, Yuji's stuffed toys are rotated for hygiene among a dog, bear, and monkey. According to Iván Reynoso Ruiz, Yuji has not yet had physical contact with other patas monkeys and will be transferred to a habitat when weaned, around six months old. The cases of Punch and Yuji highlight broader themes in animal care, such as the use of surrogate objects and human intervention to support social development in rejected infants.
Ongoing efforts and public support are vital for these animals' social development, with zookeepers and veterinarians working to ensure successful integration.