Videos of a tiny monkey in a local zoo in Japan clutching a stuffed orangutan after he was abandoned by his mother have become an unlikely viral sensation online, with millions of people around the world rooting for him.
Punch, a young Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Chiba Prefecture, first captured attention after recent heartbreaking videos taken by visitors showed him wandering his enclosure clutching the stuffed animal.
Rejected by his mother and struggling to integrate with other monkeys, Punch was often filmed being chased, being pushed away or hiding alone while hugging the plush that zookeepers gave him as a substitute for his mother.
The clips exploded online. Some of the most widely shared videos of Punch have already racked up more than 40 million views across social media platforms in February alone, turning the 7-month-old macaque into an overnight internet celebrity.
Fans across continents have rallied around the hashtags #GanbarePanchi and #HangInTherePunch, cheering him on as a symbol of resilience and perseverance.
| REUTERS
The story was quickly picked up by major international outlets including BBC News, The New York Times and Forbes.
Fans across continents have rallied around the hashtags #GanbarePanchi and #HangInTherePunch, cheering him on as a symbol of resilience and perseverance.
“Because of his painful experience in the past, he is now loved by so many people. Adversity is not misfortune, but the greatest opportunity — and the beginning of something new,” one Instagram post about the monkey read.
While early videos showed Punch being bullied and isolated, more recent footage has offered signs of hope: other macaques grooming him, sitting beside him and even hugging him. The contrast between Punch’s lonely beginnings and his tentative breakthroughs into macaque social life have only deepened people’s investment in his story.
“While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength,” the zoo said in a statement. “We would like you to support Punch’s efforts rather than feel sorry for him.”
The plush orangutan Punch carries is sold by Ikea, which has leaned into the hype and said that sales of the toy have spiked in Japan, the U.S. and South Korea.
| JIJI
Over the weekend, crowds flocked to the zoo, prompting staff to introduce stricter measures around the area featuring the monkeys, such as a stronger barrier around the enclosure, as well as urging visitors to be quiet and avoid using stepladders or tripods when taking pictures of the monkeys.
Punch’s fame has even spilled into the commercial world. The plush orangutan he carries is sold by Ikea, which has leaned into the hype. Ikea USA posted a picture on social media of two of the plushes hugging each other, along with the title “Sometimes, family is who we find along the way” and the caption, “We’re ALL Punch’s family now.”
Ikea told The New York Times that since Punch became viral, sales of the toy have spiked in Japan, the U.S. and South Korea.