Those who have been following the heartbreaking story of Punch, the monkey born in the Ichikawa City Zoo, near Tokyo, can now breathe a sigh of relief. The 7-month-old Japanese macaque is now being protected by at least two adult monkeys in his clan, and he even seems to be finally making friends.<\/p>\n
Little Punch (known as Panchi in Japan) was sadly rejected by his mother at birth, leaving zoo caretakers to step in and raise him. To comfort himself, the tiny monkey began carrying an emotional-support orangutan plush toy everywhere he goes, rarely seen without it. Videos of the tiny monkey captured the hearts of many online, who have become fully invested in his story.<\/p>\n
In our last update<\/a>, we shared how Punch was slowly finding his footing, spending more time in the enclosure and beginning to navigate the troop\u2019s social hierarchy. Although Punch is gradually gaining confidence and earning the care of some older monkeys, he\u2019s still occasionally picked on. However, in a recent video<\/a>, two adult monkeys are captured stepping in to shield him from the others. And in an even more remarkable turn, Punch has now been adopted by a female<\/a> who has chosen to groom and care for him.<\/p>\n Punch is making progress every day, and these recent updates signal that he\u2019s no longer on the fringes of the group. He\u2019s even been spending less time with his plushie, preferring to spend time with the other monkeys who have literally welcomed him into their arms.<\/p>\n Many people online have shared how relieved they are to see that Punch is finally doing better. One person wrote<\/a>, \u201cThis makes my day. I have been so worried for Punch,\u201d while another commented, \u201cThis lil guy has had my heart in a chokehold all week.\u201d<\/p>\n But why did Punch struggle to gain acceptance in the first place? According to Professor Jo Setchell, a primatologist at Durham University, maternal rejection is \u201cvery unusual\u201d in macaques\u2014something that may have put Punch at a disadvantage from the start. She says<\/a>, \u201cA baby monkey would usually have the protection and support of his mother, and learn the correct responses from her, but Punch doesn’t have that support so he might not have learned the right way to behave.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Punch didn\u2019t have a mother to teach him about monkey social skills, he was initially left with just a plushie for protection while the other macaques asserted their dominance. \u201cMacaques are highly social primates and interest in youngsters is common, including handling and carrying the infants of others,\u201d explains Dr. Emily Bethell, associate professor in primate cognition and welfare at Liverpool John Moores University. \u201cAn abandoned youngster would be of interest to other macaques who might want to handle him, and there may be conflict over who gets hold of him.\u201d She adds, \u201cThis can result in youngsters being handled quite roughly.\u201d<\/p>\n Fortunately, Punch is quickly gaining both friends and confidence. We have no doubt he\u2019ll continue to grow into a thriving member of the troop.<\/p>\n Punch the baby monkey was sadly rejected by his mother at birth, but thankfully, he\u2019s now being protected by two adults.<\/p>\n Punch is being protected by two adults in his clan.<\/a> The 7-month-old Japanese macaque has even been adopted by a female in his troop.<\/p>\n Punch is gaining both friends and confidence every day.<\/p>\n Punch seems to be having fun with his friends<\/a> Punch might just be the most popular monkey in the world right now\u2014just look at the crowds lining up to see him!<\/p>\n Source: Why are animals picking on Punch the monkey? Scientists reveal tragic truth about the viral macaque<\/a> Baby Monkey Abandoned by Mother Finds Comfort in Orangutan Plushie and the Internet\u2019s Heart Swells<\/a><\/p>\n Adorable Monkey and Capybara Caught Snuggling Share a Bond That Transcends Species<\/a><\/p>\n Rescue Dog Has the Sweetest Reaction When Her Human Kisses Her<\/a><\/p>\n
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