Despite widespread global support, Punch the monkey still endures rough handling from his fellow primates in videos that continue to break hearts online. This baby Japanese macaque, residing at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba, Japan, was abandoned by his mother soon after his birth in July 2025.
Provided with a stuffed orangutan toy by zookeepers, Punch has become a symbol of resilience, clutching it tightly amid challenges. Fresh updates reveal tentative steps towards acceptance in his troop, yet the question lingers: why do other monkeys appear to 'hate' him? Experts insist it's not personal animosity but ingrained social dynamics at play in primate societies.
Punch's tale began last summer when he was born during anintense heatwave, a factor that likely contributed to hismother's rejection. As a first-time parent with low social rank, she may have prioritised her own survival under stressful conditions.
Zookeepers initially tried rolled-up towels to mimic the maternal clinging essential for the infant's muscle development and sense of security. When those failed, they introduced theplush orangutan, which Punch immediately adopted as asurrogate mother figure. Footage of himwandering alonewhile hugging the toy exploded online in February 2026, amassing a huge number of views across social platforms.
This viral sensation amplified calls for his protection. Without his mother's guidance in the strictly matrilineal society, Punch must navigate a complex worldwhere rank determinesdaily treatment, often facing assertions of dominance from higher-status monkeys in the troop.
To human observers, the scenes of Punch being dragged, pushed or chased seem unduly cruel, but primatologists emphasise that this represents standard social interaction in Japanese macaque troops. Such behaviours enforce a rigid hierarchy, ensuring overall group stability and peace.
'In macaque societies, dominant females and their offspring regularly show aggression to less dominant families as a way to maintain the hierarchy and peace in the group,' explained Alison Behie from the Australian National University. She further noted that the aggression Punch encounters is not unusual and should not be interpreted as bullying or severe hostility.
This varied dynamic helps him learn crucial social norms, although the lack of maternal teaching makes the process more arduous.
ご一読いただけると幸いです。パンチが「いじめられている」とされる動画についてRegarding the videos reportedly showing Punch “being bullied”#市川市動植物園#がんばれパンチpic.twitter.com/l5s80fCuwG
The outpouring of empathy for Punch has been remarkable, with social media users worldwide creating fan art, memes and even petitions forenhanced care measures.Visitor numbers at the zoo have surged dramatically, prompting the implementation ofstricter rulessuch as additional barriers and restrictions on photography equipment to minimise stress on the animals.
Source: International Business Times UK
