{"id":464932,"date":"2026-03-08T22:43:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T22:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/464932\/"},"modified":"2026-03-08T22:43:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T22:43:14","slug":"heres-why-everyones-talking-about-punch-the-monkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/464932\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s Why Everyone’s Talking About Punch the Monkey"},"content":{"rendered":"

There I was, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, when I saw him. He was under 2 feet tall, sporting big, mournful eyes and tightly clutching a stuffed orangutan. I couldn\u2019t look away.<\/p>\n

Of course, I am talking about Punch, the world\u2019s sweetest, saddest little monkey. One look at him, and it\u2019s clear that all he wants is love. Well, he\u2019s gotten it, though not in quite the way he intended. Much of the internet has fallen in love with him\u2014myself, included\u2014with tens of millions of social media users obsessing over Punch\u2019s videos from Japan\u2019s Ichikawa City Zoo. As we watch him clinging to his plushie, our hearts feel like they\u2019re about to burst. And when we see him being shunned and bullied by his fellow macaques, it is like a (forgive the pun) punch to our collective gut.<\/p>\n

Yes, cute baby animals<\/a> litter the internet, but Punch is different. As a former editor for National Geographic, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how certain animals capture our hearts and minds. Now Punch has joined the ranks of tiny Thai hippo Moo Deng, Boo the Pomeranian and Grumpy Cat.<\/p>\n

So what is it about him? Why can\u2019t we get enough? And what will happen to poor Punch? You\u2019ve got questions\u2014we\u2019ve got answers. We\u2019ve curated a list of interesting, insightful and downright adorable tidbits about Punch. From hot takes to heartwarming news<\/a>, here\u2019s everything you need to know about the cutest animal on the internet right now.<\/p>\n

Get\u00a0Reader\u2019s Digest\u2019s\u00a0Read Up newsletter<\/a> for more trends, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.<\/p>\n

Who Punch the Monkey is<\/p>\n

@overtime<\/a> We love Punch \u2764\ufe0f #monkey<\/a> #punch<\/a> #cute<\/a> #wholesome<\/a> #emotional<\/a> \u266c Til The Morning \u2013 Royel Otis<\/a><\/p>\n

Punch is a ridiculously cute 7-month-old Japanese macaque, or \u201csnow monkey,\u201d who was born at the Ichikawa City Zoo in July 2026. His mother rejected him shortly after he was born, so zookeepers gave him an orangutan plushie to cuddle with and function as a surrogate mother. When the zoo released videos in February of Punch snuggling with his well-worn orangutan and dragging it forlornly, they quickly went viral.<\/p>\n

Zoo officials say their monthly visitors have more than doubled in the rush to see Punch. Ikea\u2019s $20 Djungelskog plushie, the toy Punch is holding, has sold out in multiple countries and even prompted bidding wars on resale platforms. And heart-wrenching videos of Punch, like this one<\/a> from CBS that shows adult macaque monkeys beating him up, have racked up millions of views and have people frantically Googling \u201cIs Punch OK?\u201d In fact, in February, Punch was one of Google\u2019s top trending searches, right alongside our favorite Olympians. He even got his own Easter-egg animation on Google. (We won\u2019t ruin the surprise\u2014type in \u201cPunch the Monkey\u201d and try it yourself!)<\/p>\n

Why he\u2019s such a big deal<\/p>\n

\"EveryoneAnadolu\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

It takes a lot more than cuteness to create a viral animal sensation, though that is a key component. If you see something adorable, \u201cwithin a seventh of a second, you get activity in the [pleasure-processing] orbitofrontal cortex,\u201d Morten Kringelbach, a neuroscientist from Oxford University, tells the Economist. This taps into a primal part of our psyche that makes us want to protect our species\u2019 littlest ones, and as Kringelbach aptly notes, Punch \u201clooks so like a baby, walking around with that soft toy.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a heavy dose of anthropomorphism going on here. We identify with Punch\u2019s struggles and emotions<\/a> (or at least what we\u2019re interpreting as his emotions). We basically are all Punch \u2026 at least in our minds. A new Ikea ad plays that up: \u201cSometimes, family is who we find along the way.\u201d The social media tagline? \u201cWe\u2019re ALL Punch\u2019s family now.\u201d It\u2019s not subtle, but then again, neither are our visceral feelings about Punch.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why this moment has gone beyond a simple \u201caww.\u201d<\/p>\n

We all love a good underdog story<\/p>\n

Luke Skywalker. Harry Potter. Rocky. And way before any of those guys, David of David and Goliath. We have always been drawn to tales of the unlikely hero who rises up against all odds and defeats the bad guys. And in this case, it\u2019s Punch versus the mean monkeys, who not only won\u2019t give him the time of day but also have been violent toward him. As the Economist notes, \u201cLife has placed obstacles in his path, this narrative goes, and he is much smaller than his foes. But Punch is resilient and determined to make it in macaque society. When others knock him down, he gets back up. Viewers urge him to #HangInTherePunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more on The Economist<\/a><\/p>\n

His \u201ctrauma\u201d serves as a stand-in for our own<\/p>\n

\"EveryoneAnadolu\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

Punch\u2019s story has inspired devoted internet legions to post things like \u201cI WOULD DIE FOR PUNCH.\u201d Why? His rejection and loneliness feel relatable<\/a>. And it can feel more comfortable to talk about an \u201canimal avatar\u201d and Punch\u2019s struggles than to dig into our own. Internet-famous animals like Punch can \u201clet people connect, empathize, flirt, and vent while avoiding vulnerability.\u201d Punch\u2019s struggle is our struggle, and we don\u2019t have to really admit it. We can let him\u2014and memes and jokes and comment sections\u2014do the work.<\/p>\n

Read more on Salon<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s made us wonder how monkey moms could abandon their babies \u2026<\/p>\n

It is actually very unusual for a mama macaque to abandon her young, but \u201cage, health and inexperience\u201d can all be reasons it happens, primatology expert Alison Behies tells the Guardian. Punch was his mother\u2019s first offspring, so we know she was inexperienced. In addition, Punch was born during a heat wave, and the environmental stress may have played into his abandonment.<\/p>\n

Read more on The Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026 and what that other monkey business is all about<\/p>\n

\"EveryonesAnadolu\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

As it turns out, the other macaques aren\u2019t actually being \u201cmean\u201d to Punch, according to animal behaviorists<\/a>. This is just how their matrilineal social hierarchies function, with dominant and subordinate families. Typically, mother monkeys help their children learn the behaviors appropriate to their place in the hierarchy. Without a mother to guide him, Punch is being \u201ctaught\u201d by the group. Although it may look like bullying, \u201cit is just a sort of a normal part of a macaque society to have that sort of aggression as normal social behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more on PBS<\/a><\/p>\n

It highlights feelings about our own moms (sob!)<\/p>\n

In the 1950s, U.S. researcher Harry Harlow conducted a psychology experiment using rhesus monkeys that examined the bond between parents and children. He removed baby monkeys from their mothers, then gave one set of babies a soft monkey-shaped doll and the other set a wire cage in the shape of a monkey that could dispense food and water. The monkeys spent significantly more time clinging to the cloth dolls than to the wire cages, showing that primate relationships involve a whole lot more than meeting a child\u2019s basic biological needs. This is the basis for attachment theory, which underlies our understanding of human development and parent-child relationships. The bottom line: We are hardwired for affection.<\/p>\n

Read more on The Conversation<\/a><\/p>\n

Punch gives us hope as he makes friends<\/p>\n

\"EveryoneAnadolu\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

More recent videos released by the Ichikawa City Zoo show Punch making social progress. (Yay, Punch!) In one, he gets groomed by a peer. In another, he\u2019s hanging with his fellow monkeys. And in yet another, he hugs an adult monkey and then hops on his back for a ride. And just like we all related to Punch\u2019s sadness, his redemption arc is giving us a little bit of hope<\/a> that things will turn out OK.<\/p>\n

See more on ABC World News Tonight<\/a><\/p>\n

How you can dive deeper<\/p>\n

Well, if you weren\u2019t obsessed with Punch the Monkey before, we\u2019re guessing you are now! Lucky for you, we\u2019ve found some additional links for listening, reading and watching that can take you even deeper down the Punch rabbit hole.<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/p>\n

Discuss: r\/punchthemonkey subreddit<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch: The Ichikawa City Zoo doesn\u2019t have a livestream set up for 24\/7 Punch viewing, but it does post updates about Punch\u2019s journey on its official X<\/a> account. You can also check out TikTok for more Punch\u2014just beware of AI videos purporting to be the real thing!<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

Why trust us<\/p>\n

At\u00a0Reader\u2019s Digest, we\u2019re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers\u2019 personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team<\/a>, our contributors and our editorial policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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