Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:23pm on 26 Feb 2026,Thursday International
Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo, has finally been accepted into his troop after weeks of heartbreaking rejection. Born during a summer heatwave in July 2025, Punch was abandoned by his mother at birth and raised by zoo staff. When reintroduced to the group at "Monkey Mountain" in January, he faced repeated rejection and bullying. Zoo caretakers provided an IKEA orangutan plushie for comfort, which Punch carried everywhere melting hearts globally with videos surpassing 30 million views. Adult monkey Onsing finally embraced Punch, providing grooming and protection. The wholesome story triggered worldwide emotional responses, trending as #HangInTherePunch across TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and X.
