After weeks of rejection, viral baby monkey Punch has a bodyguard now

The internet collectively adopted a seven-month-old monkey for one chaotic, heartfelt week.

Meet Punch, a.k.a. Panchi-kun, the tiny Japanese macaque living at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, who somehow became the main character of everyone's feed.

And honestly? It makes sense. But do you know that Punch now has a bodyguard? Yes, an adult macaque has stepped in to protect Punch.



In recent updates, something shifted.

After weeks of viral clips showing baby Punch wandering alone, clutching his bright orange plush orangutan like it's the only thing keeping him grounded, a new development has changed the vibes entirely.

An older member of the troops at Ichikawa City Zoo has begun sticking close, carrying him, grooming him, and subtly positioning himself between Punch and the rest of the group when things get tense. The recent videos are giving off a protective older sibling energy.

And for a seven-month-old macaque who started life abandoned and socially behind, this is huge. Moreover, this is not just cute; it's status-changing.

Punch may be slowly integrating. Cue the cautious optimism.

Punch, who was born in July, was rejected by his mother shortly after his birth. Staff at Ichikawa City Zoo hand-raised him, bottle-feeding and caring for him until he was strong enough to join the troop in January.

That's when the hard part began.



In macaque society, babies cling to their mothers almost immediately after birth. It's not just emotional; it builds muscle strength and teaches them how to navigate the complex social hierarchies. Well, without that early blueprint, Punch entered the enclosure like someone dropped into a group project halfway through the semester.

He tried to approach the other monkeys. He got brushed off, he wandered, and he retreated. And then came the plushie.

Given an IKEA stuffed orangutan for comfort, Punch began dragging it into corners and curling up beside it when social attempts failed. The imagery was painfully relatable. Within days, videos of him hugging the toy exploded across feeds worldwide.



Because the internet can't just feel things quietly.

After Punch went viral, Ichikawa City Zoo visitors began flocking to the zoo near Tokyo just to see him. The crowds grew so large that the zoo had to issue a statement asking people not to stress the animals. A no-entry zone was created around part of the viewing area to keep Monkey Mountain calm.

Punch isn't suddenly best friends with the entire troop. Social structures take time. But the shift matters. One ally can change everything, in a monkey enclosure or a group chat.

And maybe that's why we are still refreshing for updates, not because we need a perfect ending, but because we understand the messy middle.