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Meet ‘Punch’ — The Viral Orphaned Monkey Who Found Comfort In An IKEA Toy
Punch, a baby macaque rejected by his mother, faces social exclusion due to lost maternal bonding and macaque social norms, though a recent monkey hug offers hope.
- Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo, went viral last week clutching an orange IKEA orangutan plushie as videos showed other macaques ignoring or attacking him.
- Born on July 26, 2025, Punch was rejected by his mother shortly after birth and missed about two months of maternal contact to learn social cues.
- Researchers explain that macaque societies are hierarchical and xenophobic, with troop-mates testing Punch's traits to find his rank in the Japanese macaques' matriline system.
- The zoo, which started reintegration training last month, said keepers will closely monitor Punch and intervene only if physical harm risks escalate, prioritizing social learning.
- Born Free cautioned that Punch's viral fame could harm him, fuel pet demand, and let zoos profit without improving his welfare.
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Total News Sources12
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
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- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
L 43%
C 57%
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