Overview
- Punch was rejected shortly after his late‑July 2025 birth and has been hand‑reared at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba, Japan.
- Staff began placing him with the resident macaques on January 19, and he continues to carry a plush orangutan for comfort and security.
- Zoo updates note more frequent interactions, including grooming by other monkeys, though full adaptation remains a work in progress.
- The story went viral after early February posts, and reports say visitor numbers spiked into the thousands in a single weekend, with supporters also sending donations.
- Caretaker Kosuke Kano has asked visitors to treat Punch gently and expressed hope he will remain healthy and ultimately live within the group.