How a lonely monkey’s story is punching hearts, and what it teaches us

2026-02-23 - 10:33

MANILA, Philippines – He is small, just a baby, but on the internet, he packs a punch. For those who do not know the Punch lore, several videos and photos first started circulating online showing a baby Japanese macaque in Ichikawa Zoo, snuggling an orangutan toy, along with his story. Punch’s mother abandoned him when he was born, and zookeepers had to intervene and raise the baby themselves. They eventually elected a plushie sold by Swedish furniture brand IKEA as his substitute mother. A baby Japanese macaque named Punch drags a stuffed orangutan at Ichikawa City Zoo, in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on February 19, 2026. Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters The heartbreaking story, along with photos and videos of Punch struggling to integrate with the troop, captivated the internet, leading to more visits to the zoo. People started avidly following Punch’s life, especially after videos blew up, showing an adult macaque pushing him away after Punch attempted to socialize. 子供がチャレンジしてうまくいかなかった時、親は安心基地的な役回りに徹するのがいいのかもね。小さいうちは特に。SNSで見たときは思わず「かわいそう」って思って胸が苦しくなったけど、現地で実際に見ると果敢に挑む姿に応援したくなった。#がんばれパンチくん pic.twitter.com/M96bRBnqvh — マー子✒︎松戸暮らしの物語ライター (@matsudonomaako) February 15, 2026 These were followed by several videos of Punch dragging his plushie, playing alone, hiding, or sleeping with his “ora-mama.” En japon a un monito lo abandono su madre Lo estan siguiendo para ver si se adapta a vivir con otros monos Pero el bicho quiere estar solo con un muñeco porque cree que es su mama pic.twitter.com/IoLajWdbKm — ElBuni (@therealbuni) February 14, 2026 Has Punch finally made a new friend? People are crying and posting about how life is worth living again. Is Punch being bullied by other macaques? Thousands of people are up in arms, enough to make Ichikawa Zoo issue a statement explaining how the baby had to navigate these complicated social dynamics in order to be fully accepted. 昨日(2/19)に撮影されたと思われる 「パンチが群れのサルに引きずられている動画」について 添付をご一読ください。#市川市動植物園#市川ファン#がんばれパンチ pic.twitter.com/rT128eCraj — 市川市動植物園(公式) (@ichikawa_zoo) February 20, 2026 After enduring days of rejection, Baby Punch finally experienced the comfort of love. Today, the adult monkey Onsing drew little Punch into a firm, deeply reassuring embrace. pic.twitter.com/SnCdsDZ5kl — ✮ راينر براون (@dondawastaken) February 20, 2026 As if to further highlight Punch’s belovedness, IKEA donated stuffed animals for Punch and other animals at Ichikawa Zoo. 1人で頑張って成長している子ざるが(パンチくん)母親と思ってぬいぐるみと一緒にいる姿を、多くの人に「頑張れパンチくん!」と声をかけてもらうようになっています。今日はそのぬいぐるみの製造元の社長が、たくさんのぬいぐるみと一緒に市川の動植物園に来てきれました。 #がんばれパンチくん pic.twitter.com/cY56j6RKej — 田中甲 (@koh_tanaka) February 17, 2026 In hindsight, Punch feels like Moo Deng again, the cute female pygmy hippo that became an internet star back in 2024. But in many ways, their “arcs,” as the internet pointed out, are vastly different. Moo Deng was celebrated (as she should) because of her cuteness and innocence. The world watched her eat fruits with her mother, take fun baths, and initiate playfights with her caretaker. Moo Deng was all sunshine and rainbows. Moo Deng, a female pygmy hippo who became a viral internet sensation, celebrates her first birthday as she eats vegetables as a cake, at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, on July 10, 2025. Photo by Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters Punch, on the other hand, was all trials and tribulations. Rejected by his mother, he had to rely on his caretakers and clung to an orangutan plushie for survival. He struggled to fit into a very hierarchical troop, and with no parent to rely on, Punch had to fend for himself. It’s easy to see why others might be anthropomorphizing Punch; in fact, aside from Ichikawa Zoo, others who worked with macaques shared that Punch’s plight is normal. “He isn’t being bullied, he’s just an outsider that has to learn his place.” after working with macaques it’s so funny to see people reacting to normal hierarchical behavior, it’s going to take a bit for him to be fully established in the colony but that was normal discipline. he isn’t being bullied he’s just an outsider that has to learn his place https://t.co/lgAxX2zdeQ — kayla (@DrKaylaGarrett) February 19, 2026 Cardinal Pablo Virgilio ‘Ambo’ David offers a possible reason why the internet is enamored with Punch: “Because, in that fragile creature, we recognize something deeply human. Who among us has not known what it means to feel excluded, misunderstood, or left behind?.... Where do the lonely belong? And who will notice them, listen to them, and love them not as substitutes — but as real persons worthy of presence and care?” “Punch is the clear example that we all need something to hold us up,” an X user wrote in a post. “Something to remind us that we’re not alone while we learn to try again. Punch didn’t choose his story, but he chose to hold on to whatever gave him calm. And that, too, is resilience.” Ultimately I have to be brave pic.twitter.com/ULuEwOeiqE — ирис (@saltwatermp3) February 14, 2026 Punch es el claro ejemplo de que todos necesitamos algo que nos sostenga. Que nos recuerde que no estamos solos mientras aprendemos a intentarlo de nuevo. Punch no eligió su historia, pero eligió aferrarse a lo que le daba calma. Y eso también es resiliencia ❤️‍🩹 pic.twitter.com/2v5iLwgJiU — ANA (@ananzures) February 22, 2026 Punch I know you will win – because we have seen your strength to push forward, your rise after every failure. The whole world is watching you ❤️🐒 pic.twitter.com/BNJ6nxCbs9 — Crazy Moments (@Crazymoments01) February 23, 2026 Are you rooting for Punch, too? – Rappler.com