Tokyo baby monkey finds comfort in ‘Punch’ stuffed orangutan; Attractions Zoo visitors

At a zoo outside Tokyo, the monkey enclosure has become a must-see attraction thanks to an inseparable pair: Punch, a baby Japanese macaque, and his stuffed orangutan companion.

Punch’s mother abandoned the macaque when he was born at the Ichikawa City Zoo seven months ago, and when an onlooker noticed and alerted zookeepers, they sprang into action.

Baby Japanese macaques usually cling to their mothers to build muscle strength and for a sense of security, so Punch needed swift intervention, zookeeper Kosuke Shikano said.

Keepers experimented with alternatives, including rolled towels and other stuffed animals, before settling on an orange, bug-eyed orangutan sold by Swedish furniture brand IKEA.

“This stuffed animal has relatively long hair and very easy places to hold,” Shikano said. “We thought the simile to a monkey would help Punch punch into the force later, so we chose that.”

Punch was rarely seen without it, dragging the cuddly toy everywhere despite being bigger than him and delighting fans who flocked to the zoo since videos of the two went viral.

“Seeing Punch on social media, his parents leaving but still struggling, really moved me,” said Miu Igarashi, a 26-year-old nurse. “So when I had the chance to meet up with a friend today, I suggested we watch Punch together.”

Shikano thinks Punch’s mother abandoned him because of the intense heat when she gave birth in July.

Punch has had some conflicts with the other monkeys as he tries to communicate with them, but zookeepers say this is part of the learning process and he is steadily integrating with the troop.

“I think the day will come when he won’t need his stuffed toy anymore,” Shikano said.