Within social media platforms, animals have always been a point of interest. Whether it’s funny cat videos that were popular all over YouTube in its early days, or people fighting for animal rights, animals have always been a popular topic.
A seven-month-old infant Macaque monkey in the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens named Punch is all over people’s For You Pages on TikTok and other social media platforms–and while he is a very adorable critter, his story is breaking hearts across the nation.
Punch was born on July 26, 2025. Unfortunately, he was abandoned by his mother soon after his birth. This caused the zoo to have to raise him without a parent being involved. Without his mother, the poor monkey has turned to a plush monkey for comfort that should have been given by his mother.
The saddest part of all of this is that Punch has been videographed getting chased and dragged around the enclosure by older monkeys on a consistent basis. He wanders around all alone holding his plush tightly while the other monkeys pushed him away or openly bullied him.
In one video, days after he started to go viral, Punch is seen to be attacked by an older monkey, dragging him around the enclosure. Punch then runs to hide behind the rocks of the enclosure and hugs his Orangutan plush once more. These videos have tugged at people’s heartstrings, making them worried for the mental and physical health of the little Macaque.
Experts elaborate that this is normal behavior between older Macaques and younger Macaques, and, according to zoo officials, this is part of the monkeys undergoing social integration. They also argue that the older monkeys were establishing social hierarchies and teaching Punch crucial boundaries. It’s explained that even if Punch still had his mother around he would still face the harassment of the older monkeys. Japanese Macaques have matrilineal hierarchies where higher-ranking families assert dominance over lower-ranking ones. Experts do believe, however, that without his mother he might not have developed the appropriate subordinate response to show how they submit to dominance, resulting in the violence he’s been facing.
Experts believe that since Punch’s mother was a first time mother she left him due to inexperience. Zookeepers also say he was born during a heatwave, which is a high stress environment for these creatures. They argue that during these conditions, Macaque mothers may care more for their health and chance of future reproduction instead of caring for an infant whose health may be compromised regardless of their care.
The reason for the Orangutan plush that helped boost his popularity was because the zookeepers believed the appearance of a monkey plush would help him integrate into the troop later on. Baby Macaques also cling onto their mothers body after birth to build muscle strength and give them a sense of security. With no mother to cling onto, zookeepers thought the plushie would be an apt replacement.
Recent updates show that Punch has been socializing, playing, and learning to groom with other members of the troop successfully. Zookeepers also say that as Punch grows he is becoming more independent and spending less time with the Orangutan plush.
