People around the world lost their hearts to Punch, a baby monkey abandoned by his mother, after footage of him with a toy orangutan spread online. Now, he draws big crowds at his zoo near Tokyo. But some admirers have also expressed concerns.
Bringing joy to visitors from all over the globe
Even when Punch is not with his stuffed companion, the pint-sized Japanese macaque is still a star, with long lines forming outside Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Chiba Prefecture, just outside Tokyo, each morning.Even when Punch is not with his stuffed companion, the pint-sized Japanese macaque is still a star, with long lines forming outside Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Chiba Prefecture, just outside Tokyo, each morning.Punch goes viral on social media
Ichikawa Kaori, a Punch enthusiast, travels two hours from Tokyo, every week, to visit him.
“I saw him on X and wanted to see him in person because he’s so cute,” says Ichikawa.
She has been regularly posting her videos of Punch, and that footage has gained attention.
One showing Punch sound asleep on his stuffed toy got almost 1 million views and about 60,000 likes. She said she casually posted the video because she thought the images were cute.
“I was very surprised that it received so many reactions,” she said.
Punch’s story, with him at one point apparently not part of any other monkey groups, has resonated across cultures. Viral posts include the hashtag “Cheer up, Punch!” or the Japanese equivalent, “Ganbare Punch.”
As he grows older, Punch is moving on from his toy and starting to connect with other monkeys in the zoo.
When NHK’s crew visited in March, he appeared to be bonding with others.
“He is trying so hard to adapt to the group and it moves my heart. It also makes me want to cheer him on and watch him grow up,” said Ichikawa.She has been regularly posting her videos of Punch, and that footage has gained attention.
One showing Punch sound asleep on his stuffed toy got almost 1 million views and about 60,000 likes. She said she casually posted the video because she thought the images were cute.
“I was very surprised that it received so many reactions,” she said.
Punch’s story, with him at one point apparently not part of any other monkey groups, has resonated across cultures. Viral posts include the hashtag “Cheer up, Punch!” or the Japanese equivalent, “Ganbare Punch.”
As he grows older, Punch is moving on from his toy and starting to connect with other monkeys in the zoo.
When NHK’s crew visited in March, he appeared to be bonding with others.
“He is trying so hard to adapt to the group and it moves my heart. It also makes me want to cheer him on and watch him grow up,” said Ichikawa.
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