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Laman Ismayilova

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The internet's favorite orphaned macaque, Punch, has celebrated his first birthday in Japan, receiving more than 2,500 birthday cards from fans across the globe after winning millions of hearts with his remarkable story of resilience, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

Born on July 26, 2025, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Chiba Prefecture, Punch was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, likely because she was exhausted. Zoo keepers hand-raised the infant and gave him a plush orangutan to help him develop the gripping instinct essential for young macaques. The toy soon became his constant companion and source of comfort.

Earlier this year, photos and videos of the young monkey tightly hugging his stuffed orangutan while struggling to integrate with his troop spread rapidly across social media. The emotional images inspired the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, turning the little macaque into an international symbol of perseverance and hope.

Since then, Punch has made remarkable progress. According to zoo officials, the one-year-old macaque has successfully settled into the troop, regularly playing with and grooming other monkeys. While he still sleeps with his beloved plush companion, he no longer depends on it throughout the day, a positive sign of his growing confidence and social development.

To mark the milestone, the zoo displayed thousands of birthday cards sent by admirers from around the world.

The celebrations also attracted visitors who traveled specifically to see Punch, whose journey from a lonely orphan to a thriving member of his troop continues to inspire people of all ages.