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Laman Ismayilova

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A baby Japanese macaque named Punch has captured hearts around the world after his story went viral from the Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, AzerNEWS reports citing foreign media.

Punch, born on July 26, 2025, was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and raised by zookeepers, who stepped in to ensure his survival.

Because macaque infants naturally cling to their mothers for warmth and security, zoo staff tried different methods to comfort him. They found that Punch formed a strong emotional attachment to a stuffed orangutan plush toy, identified as Ikea's Djungelskog, which he carries everywhere and clings to like a surrogate mother.

Videos and photos of Punch with his cuddly companion quickly spread on social media, turning him into an internet sensation.

Since mid‑January 2026, zookeepers have gradually reintroduced Punch to the larger macaque group in the zoo's "Monkey Mountain" enclosure. Although integration into the troop began slowly, recent updates show that he has started interacting more with other monkeys.