TOURISTS FLOCK TO SEE VIRAL ABANDONED BABY MONKEY "PUNCH" AT ZOO NEAR TOKYO

TOKYO, Feb 28 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Punch, a baby Japanese macaque at a zoo near Tokyo, has become a major tourist attraction as images of him clinging to an orangutan plushie he received after being abandoned by his mother have gone viral, Kyodo News Agency reported.

Punch was born last July weighing around 500 grams. A Feb 5, 2026, social media post by Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture introducing Punch with his stuffed companion has since garnered about 85,000 likes, with fans praising his efforts to integrate with other monkeys.

According to zookeepers Kosuke Shikano, 24, and Shumpei Miyakoshi, 34, Punch's mother showed no signs of caring for him at birth, while it appeared none of the other monkeys would step in to raise him. They began artificially feeding him the next day.

Newborn monkeys are known to cling to their mothers for security. Zookeepers tried giving Punch towels and other stuffed animals before settling on the orangutan plushie for its appearance and long fur, making it easy to grasp.

Punch began living communally in the zoo's monkey enclosure in January, and he has been seen rushing to his stuffed toy for comfort after being scolded by another macaque or when fights have broken out among the group.

The zoo has begun regularly posting updates on his progress socialising with the other monkeys and conditions at the facility in Japanese and English on their X account.

Meanwhile, visitors to the zoo have surged on both weekdays and weekends since mid-February, drawing crowds who eagerly snap photos of Punch in the enclosure.

"We are surprised by the overwhelming response," said Takashi Yasunaga, head of the Ichikawa municipal government's zoological and botanical garden division. "We are delighted that so many people are watching Punch grow."

In response to the public's reaction, homeware giant Ikea Japan K.K., which sells stuffed animals such as Punch's orangutan, has donated other plush toys and goods.

"It is a truly heartwarming story," said Ikea Japan President Petra Fare. "Go for it, Punch."

-- BERNAMA-KYODO