The baby macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan was abandoned by his mother and bullied by his fellow snow monkeys, leading him to cling to a plush orangutan for companionship.
After being rejected by his mom, Punch had to be bottle- and hand-fed by zoo caretakers.
Punch even earned the attention of Oscar winnerChristian Bale, who compared his Frankenstein monster character from The Bride! to the lonely little guy.
Don't we all, though?
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Punch the monkeyPhoto by STR on Getty Images
Punch's mom abandoned him after he was born, leading zoo staff to have to bottle-feed him as a newborn and hand-feed him as he began to grow. What's more, some social media footage from Punch's enclosure showed another macaque pushing him, which shattered pretty much every beating heart on the planet that watched it happen. However, he's doing better now!
What is going on with Punch the monkey?
Someone sent Lindsey Vonn a plush orangutan like the one Punch has as a get-well gift when she was hospitalized in February 2028.
She added that Punch finding a girlfriend (see below) gave her more confidence that she can heal up successfully.
Punch the Monkey has a girlfriend!
On March 17, 2026, it was reported that Punch actually found a girlfriend, and our hearts are exploding. Check them out together below—her name is Momo-Chan, and she's a similar to his beloved plushie:
View this post on InstagramWe're not crying, you're crying.
The Ichigawa Zoo also released a guide for donations, noting that they don't actually endorse any products related to Punch and that the only place for legitimate donations that will be used for his care, as well as for the other critters and botanical life at the zoo, is here—so make sure you don't fall for any scams!
Punch the Monkey is getting along better with his macaque mates.
Punch the Monkey learned a new trick.
It was also revealed on March 3 that he learned a new trick: How to wave.
Punch learned how to wave ? pic.twitter.com/z7uQXxL59g
— Complex (@Complex) March 3, 2026Is Punch the monkey OK now?
Thankfully, the answer seems to be yes!
In early March, one of those visitors was K-pop superstar Lisa of BLACKPINK, who documented her venture to Monkey Mountain in her Instagram Stories.
Lisa of BLACKPINK visiting Punch the Monkey at the Ichigawa City Zoo@akusidsy
While Punch was being fed, another monkey began to bully him again. Noticing what was happening, the caretaker quickly picked him up and took him away.” . . . . . #punchmonkey #japan #fyp #ichikawazoo
♬ suara asli - AkusiDsy - AkusiDsyWill Punch the monkey be okay?
Most likely he'll be fine!
Robinson did note that it would be tricky to predict where exactly Punch will land in the snow monkey hierarchy overall, but there's a lot of of hope for him!
Robinson added that because Punch is beginning to develop grooming relationships with other monkeys, which is a "really great sign," as is that he hasn't been hit with any "really high-intensity aggression."
"Those are all good signs that he's being brought into the group," she said. "But he's got quite a few years till he reaches adulthood anyway. He's just a juvenile. He's just a baby right now."
Punch the monkey interacts with other macaques in the Monkey Mountain enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoo.Photo by Anadolu on Getty Images
Why was Punch the monkey abandoned?
It's not entirely known, but also isn't uncommon, according to Robinson.
Thankfully, footage appears to show that Punch's mother is finally warming up to him.
Punch the monkey and his motherPhoto by Anadolu on Getty Images
Robinson said, "Without anyone to support him, I don't think there's really any question about what would happen. In the wild, I don't think he'd make it. And that's important to remember as well, that nature is not necessarily kind. Nature is just what it does. There's no need to judge it as, like, a negative or anything. It's just how nature works."
Is Punch the monkey a boy or girl?
Yes, he is!
Where can I get a Punch the monkey stuffed animal?
While there isn't any official Punch the snow monkey merch available (yet), IKEA carries the Djungelskog orangutan plushie he adores. You can check here for availability near you, but be ready to have to wait a while, because this plushie is more popular than ever.
IKEA "Djungelskog" plush orangutans, the same type that Punch the Monkey cuddles with at the Ichikawa ZooPhoto by NurPhoto on Getty Images
Nope, there's no soulless, planet-killing tech behind Punch the Monkey. He is all real, which is likely why his predicament resonates with so many.
Where is Punch the monkey located?
Did Andrew Tate buy Punch the Monkey?
Manosphere influencers Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tatereportedly offered $250,000 to buy Punch the Monkey to get him away from what they believe is an abusive environment, indicating that they view Punch as more human than they do women.
Related: How to Visit the Viral Monkey, Punch, in Japan's Ichikawa City Zoo
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