How a lonely monkey’s story is punching hearts, and what it teaches us

MANILA, Philippines – He is small, just a baby, but on the internet, he packs a punch.

For those who do not know the Punch lore, several videos and photos first started circulating online showing a baby Japanese macaque in Ichikawa Zoo, snuggling an orangutan toy, along with his story.

Punch’s mother abandoned him when he was born, and zookeepers had to intervene and raise the baby themselves. They eventually elected a plushie sold by Swedish furniture brand IKEA as his substitute mother. 

The heartbreaking story, along with photos and videos of Punch struggling to integrate with the troop, captivated the internet, leading to more visits to the zoo. People started avidly following Punch’s life, especially after videos blew up, showing an adult macaque pushing him away after Punch attempted to socialize.

These were followed by several videos of Punch dragging his plushie, playing alone, hiding, or sleeping with his “ora-mama.”

Has Punch finally made a new friend? People are crying and posting about how life is worth living again. Is Punch being bullied by other macaques? Thousands of people are up in arms, enough to make Ichikawa Zoo issue a statement explaining how the baby had to navigate these complicated social dynamics in order to be fully accepted.

As if to further highlight Punch’s belovedness, IKEA donated stuffed animals for Punch and other animals at Ichikawa Zoo.

In hindsight, Punch feels like Moo Deng again, the cute female pygmy hippo that became an internet star back in 2024.

But in many ways, their “arcs,” as the internet pointed out, are vastly different. Moo Deng was celebrated (as she should) because of her cuteness and innocence. The world watched her eat fruits with her mother, take fun baths, and initiate playfights with her caretaker. Moo Deng was all sunshine and rainbows.

Punch, on the other hand, was all trials and tribulations. Rejected by his mother, he had to rely on his caretakers and clung to an orangutan plushie for survival. He struggled to fit into a very hierarchical troop, and with no parent to rely on, Punch had to fend for himself.

It’s easy to see why others might be anthropomorphizing Punch; in fact, aside from Ichikawa Zoo, others who worked with macaques shared that Punch’s plight is normal. “He isn’t being bullied, he’s just an outsider that has to learn his place.”

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio ‘Ambo’ David offers a possible reason why the internet is enamored with Punch: “Because, in that fragile creature, we recognize something deeply human. Who among us has not known what it means to feel excluded, misunderstood, or left behind?…. Where do the lonely belong? And who will notice them, listen to them, and love them not as substitutes — but as real persons worthy of presence and care?”

“Punch is the clear example that we all need something to hold us up,” an X user wrote in a post. “Something to remind us that we’re not alone while we learn to try again. Punch didn’t choose his story, but he chose to hold on to whatever gave him calm. And that, too, is resilience.”

Are you rooting for Punch, too? – Rappler.com