Punch the monkey is a baby snow monkey born in July 2025, and he currently lives in Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo. From the moment Punch was born, he was rejected and abandoned by his mother. Since Punch was rejected by his mother, zookeepers had to hand-rear him. In the zoo, Punch was not accepted by any of the monkeys. He was even chased or dragged by the other adult monkeys. He was alone and in need of comfort.  

So, the zookeepers gave Punch a plush toy of a monkey, and ever since, he has been attached. He found comfort in the non-living. With his attachment to the toy, more people started to notice. Every video on the internet of Punch was getting millions of views from all over the world. People felt empathy, and soon enough, Punch won hearts around the world. Many people on the internet have shared their thoughts on how to fix the situation with Punch being bullied. Some say he needs to be moved to a different zoo, some say he should be released into the wild, and some even say someone capable should adopt Punch. Every day was a challenge for Punch, especially with no one on his side. Except for one of the zookeepers, whom Punch found very safe to be around, but even the zookeepers cannot interfere with wildlife.  

You may be wondering, is Punch okay now? Well, Punch is doing a lot better. Even some of the monkeys have begun showing positive signs towards him, like grooming, playing, and hugging. But even with his life finally turning right side up, Punch still hasn’t forgotten who his true friend is. Punch still carries around his stuffed toy, though he has started to show independence by spending less time with it.