A tiny baby monkey named Punch has become one of the most talked about animals on the internet.
Punch lives at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. Videos of the small monkey holding a stuffed toy have been watched by millions of people online.
Many viewers say Punch looks cute but also a little sad, which has made people around the world care about his story.
Who Punch the monkey is
Punch is a 7 month old Japanese macaque, also called a “snow monkey”.
He was born in July at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
Shortly after he was born, Punch’s mother rejected him. Because of this, zoo keepers gave him a soft orangutan toy to cuddle with, almost like a comfort toy.
Videos released in February showing Punch hugging and carrying the stuffed toy quickly went viral on social media.
Why people love Punch
Many experts say Punch’s appearance reminds people of a human baby.
Neuroscientist Morten Kringelbach from Oxford University explained that when people see something cute, the brain reacts almost instantly. Within about one seventh of a second, parts of the brain connected to pleasure become active.
This reaction makes people want to protect small and vulnerable animals.
Punch’s big eyes and small size make him especially appealing to viewers.
Did You Know?
Ichikawa City Zoo limited front row viewing at Monkey Mountain to about 10 minutes and banned selfie sticks to reduce stress on Punch and other macaques. The zoo received about 9,600 visitors over one weekend, and February attendance reached around 47,000, more than double the previous year.
A huge internet sensation
Punch has quickly become one of the most famous animals on the internet.
Videos of Punch have received millions of views online.
The toy he holds, an IKEA plushie called Djungelskog that costs about 20 US dollars, has sold out in several countries because fans want the same toy.
The zoo has also seen more visitors. Monthly visitors to the Ichikawa City Zoo have more than doubled since Punch became famous online.
In February, Punch was even one of the top trending searches on Google.
Why other monkeys push him away
Some videos show other macaque monkeys pushing or chasing Punch, which made many viewers worried.
However, animal experts say this behavior is normal for macaques.
Macaques live in social groups where they have a clear hierarchy. Young monkeys usually learn their place in the group with help from their mothers.
Since Punch does not have a mother guiding him, the other monkeys are helping him learn the group’s social rules.
Good news for Punch
More recent videos from the zoo show that Punch is slowly making friends.
In one video, another monkey is grooming him, which is a sign of friendship among monkeys.
In another video, Punch is seen sitting with other monkeys and even climbing onto an adult monkey’s back.
Zoo keepers say these signs show that Punch is starting to become part of the group.
Many people who follow his story online hope that the small monkey will continue to grow stronger and find his place among the other macaques.
Photo: Punch the Monkey
