Rejected Baby Monkey Who Clung to Stuffed Toy Is Finally Being Accepted by His Troop

A baby monkey who broke hearts when he clung to a stuffed toy for comfort after being rejected and bullied by his troop is finally being accepted.

Punch, a Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, was born in last year. Shortly after birth, he was rejected by his mother. He began hugging an orangutan stuffed toy after his human caregivers introduced it to him.

According to his keepers, Kosuke Shikano, 24, and Shumpei Miyakoshi, 34, parental abandonment can sometimes happen in certain circumstances.

“The burden of her first birth may have been a factor,” Shikano explained. “In the monkey mountain troop, other mother monkeys sometimes take on childcare, so we observed from a distance on the day of birth, but there were no such signs.”

Since Punch was healthy, staff temporarily separated him from the troop and began hand-feeding him milk while monitoring his development and interactions with the other monkeys. Because infant monkeys instinctively cling to their mothers from birth, zoo staff provided Punch with blankets and soft toys to ease his anxiety.

He formed a particularly strong bond with a stuffed orangutan toy, carrying it everywhere with him. Images of him with the plush toy went viral worldwide. Sadly, as months went by, he continued to be isolated from the other monkeys, who were not friendly towards him.

Visitors at the zoo were deeply moved when they saw six-month-old Punch sitting on top of the plush toy, appearing to suck his thumb and snuggle into it as if it were a surrogate parent. He was often seen wrapping his arms around the toy and even sleeping with it for reassurance.

Even more heartbreaking for visitors was seeing Punch getting rejected or ganged up on by other monkeys. Video was captured showing him being attacked by the older monkeys and dragged on the ground by a larger monkey before he was able to break free and flee.

Punch the abandoned monkey has an awful day after being attacked by other monkeys.
by u/thepkmncenter in PublicFreakout

However, recently, things took a happier turn when an adult monkey reached out to help him. An older female monkey has begun caring for Punch, grooming him and giving him love.

Her acceptance has signalled to the other monkeys that Punch is part of the group and as a result the other monkeys have begun to play and interact more positively with him.

パンチは少しずつ群れのサル達との交流を深めています！
毛づくろいされたり、ちょっかいをかけてみたり、怒られたりと毎日色んな経験をして、サルとして群れで暮らすための生き方を日々学んでいます！#市川市動植物園 #ニホンザル #パンチ #がんばれパンチ #市川ファン pic.twitter.com/Ds0NT7FKFg
— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) February 6, 2026

The acceptance of the monkeys comes after Punch’s keepers worked carefully to reintroduce him to the troop over many months.

パンチは少しずつ群れのサル達との交流を深めています！
毛づくろいされたり、ちょっかいをかけてみたり、怒られたりと毎日色んな経験をして、サルとして群れで暮らすための生き方を日々学んでいます！#市川市動植物園 #ニホンザル #パンチ #がんばれパンチ #市川ファン pic.twitter.com/Ds0NT7FKFg
— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) February 6, 2026

Monkeys have complex social dynamics, which can prove challenging. But it seems now that Punch is gradually integrating and it is a positive sign that he has bonded with another macaque.

For Punch, it’s the beginning of a future filled not with isolation — but with friendship.