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Punch the monkey: Why do we love him so much and how is he doing now?
If you’ve fallen in love with a baby monkey named Punch, you’re not alone.The Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan has drawn a global online audience after videos and photos of Punch toting around a stuffed plush monkey began circulating on social media.Punch was abandoned by his mother at birth, and zoo staff says he relies on the plush toy for comfort as he gradually learns to interact with other monkeys.Countless fans from around the world have followed Punch’s progress and the story of his plush companion, trying to build relationships within the troop of macaques. And many of those followers have visited the zoo to see Punch in person. Some of those folks shared with CNN why they think people are relating to the monkey so much, and why they are moved by his story.”We need this warmth and love right now,” said Melanie Fortier, a fan of the baby monkey. “You know, when you’re scrolling through the feeds, you’re just getting the negative, negative when you see something like an animal coming up and just hopefulness and just they have nothing but care and love to give.” Nasser Hashem, who has followed Punch’s story and visited the zoo, has an idea as to why people are so interested in Punch and his progress.”Yeah, I think we could all relate to him in some sense, being in an unfamiliar environment, not knowing the people around you, and just trying to fit in as much as you can,” Hashem said.And despite recent videos showing bigger monkeys seeming to scold Punch as he tried to fit in with the troop, he seems to have found a friend.His zookeeper, Shunpei Miyakoski, told CNN that Punch is relying on his orangutan toy less and is mostly holding onto it when he sleeps, relaxes, or after he gets scolded by older monkeys. “He’s been doing his best to grow, learning from those early experiences,” Miyakoshi said. “Now he’s communicating with other monkeys. It’s great to see him reaching those milestones.” Punch is still spending a lot of time alone and isn’t fully part of the group yet, but when things get tough, he still has someone to cling to in his stuffed toy.
If you’ve fallen in love with a baby monkey named Punch, you’re not alone.
The Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan has drawn a global online audience after videos and photos of Punch toting around a stuffed plush monkey began circulating on social media.
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Punch was abandoned by his mother at birth, and zoo staff says he relies on the plush toy for comfort as he gradually learns to interact with other monkeys.
Countless fans from around the world have followed Punch’s progress and the story of his plush companion, trying to build relationships within the troop of macaques. And many of those followers have visited the zoo to see Punch in person. Some of those folks shared with CNN why they think people are relating to the monkey so much, and why they are moved by his story.
“We need this warmth and love right now,” said Melanie Fortier, a fan of the baby monkey. “You know, when you’re scrolling through the feeds, you’re just getting the negative, negative when you see something like an animal coming up and just hopefulness and just they have nothing but care and love to give.”
Nasser Hashem, who has followed Punch’s story and visited the zoo, has an idea as to why people are so interested in Punch and his progress.
“Yeah, I think we could all relate to him in some sense, being in an unfamiliar environment, not knowing the people around you, and just trying to fit in as much as you can,” Hashem said.
And despite recent videos showing bigger monkeys seeming to scold Punch as he tried to fit in with the troop, he seems to have found a friend.
His zookeeper, Shunpei Miyakoski, told CNN that Punch is relying on his orangutan toy less and is mostly holding onto it when he sleeps, relaxes, or after he gets scolded by older monkeys.
“He’s been doing his best to grow, learning from those early experiences,” Miyakoshi said. “Now he’s communicating with other monkeys. It’s great to see him reaching those milestones.”
Punch is still spending a lot of time alone and isn’t fully part of the group yet, but when things get tough, he still has someone to cling to in his stuffed toy.
