How to explain that too much of my mental health is dependent on a baby monkey somewhere in Japan?
Well, those who get it, get it. And those who have seen this adorbs monkey definitely do.
But did you hear the good news? Punch the monkey has a new fam jam now, and no, it’s not just his orangutan plushie, he has finally been accepted into a monkey clan. BRB crying about life a lil!
Now, gentle arms surround him instead of fabric limbs!
Punched by circumstance, young Punch-kun, a macaque just seven months old, drew wholesome and pookie attention at Ichikawa City Zoo after maternal rejection left him on the margins of group life.
Footage captured him withdrawing toward a soft doll arranged by caretakers, seeking solace amid social exclusion. But now, just like any KJO film, he has united with a real fam, and we can’t wait for the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham feels.
“Baby Punch Finally Experienced…”
A moment captured on film reveals Onsing, an adult monkey, drawing Punch close in a careful hold. Shared across platforms through X by user @dondawastaken, the footage arrived with brief context
“After enduring days of rejection, Baby Punch finally experienced the comfort of love. Today, the adult monkey Onsing drew little Punch into a firm, deeply reassuring embrace.”
A moment captured on film reveals an older individual tending to his fur and you know, behaviors like these hold weight among primates (Us humans too, but that’s another story for another day xd). Far beyond simple care, such contact communicates intent and trust grows through it, stress fades, connections deepen, while standing in the group adjusts accordingly.
To Punch, this meant something beyond an embrace and he finally felt belonged.
The Internet Shows LOVE & A Little SUS
From prior posts, grief spread across Reddit and messages appeared:
“Poor lil buddy… does he need snuggles? I can give snuggles.”
“Doesn’t look too accepted. Looks like a couple of big, ‘ol meanies. Poor little guy.”
“Little punch deserves all the love in the world.”
Questions arose regarding nature’s severity
“Wonder why his mother rejected him? Did he seem weak or sick or have some mutation? Nature can be cruel when it comes to survival of the fittest.”
Few raised concerns about how soldiers interacted within units
“Presumably this is the ‘before’ video. Would like to see the update.”
Another clarified:
“Not by this mean one. A different adult.”
Instagram comments reflect optimism and emotional investment:
“Good to see this 😍”
“One day he will the strongest there,”
“Heavily invested in Punch now”
“Don’t give up on love and acceptance punch 🤝 and hold that stuffy tight til ya do find it.”
A wave of red hearts tells the story, and that’s all the will to live we needed to get through the day.
Cutest Story ft. Cutest Baby Monkey
Here’s Punch’s full story…in July 2025, Punch entered the world amid hardship as a fierce summer heatwave coincided with his arrival, along with complications at birth; afterward, his biological mother turned away, yes, he was abandoned. Brb, crying.
Maternal absence, critical among macaques, left caregivers stepping in where nature did not. Raised largely by zoo personnel, his early days felt without family bonds typical of his species but wait….this unfortunate situation evolved beyond routine animal care into something so beautiful and so rare.. that the internet joined hearts and made a collective heart in the area.
The Poor Baby Monkey Faced Bulling..
Among Japanese macaques, clear rankings shape daily life as from an early age, young ones pick up key behaviors by watching their mothers, noticing who grooms whom, sensing shifts in power, and picking up subtle signals. When introduced back into the group at the zoo’s “Monkey Mountain” area come January, Punch, the poor monkey struggled, as guidance usually gained in infancy had been missing.
At first, short videos spread fast. There he was, Punch, moving carefully toward elder monkeys, hoping perhaps for contact, yet each time met with a swipe or silence. A particular clip gained attention with hands and knees, hugging a soft figure close, and dragging it gently behind.
Social media users reacted emotionally. “I would adopt Punch and love him forever,” one person wrote. Another admitted, “3 days in a row crying over Punch.” Under a later clip showing him finally being embraced by another monkey, one user quipped, “They fk with him now all of a sudden ’cause he got clout lmao.”
The Orangutan Plushie & Punch: 2 Jism Ek Jaan
It became clear that Punch showed signs of missing maternal presence. To address this, caretakers placed a soft replica primate inside his space, specifically the IKEA Djungelskog design. Rather than simply serving as an object, it acted as a source of stability during moments of distress. The monkey hugged the plush toy and taught the world the meaning of love faster than any KJo movie ever did! xd.
Movement patterns changed when he began transporting it regularly, leading to increased exertion across daily routines as physical development advanced alongside subtle shifts in his behavior.
Quickly the plush turned into Punch’s steady presence. Hugged by him, carried everywhere, and almost never set aside! If that isn’t the purest genre of love, we don’t know what is.
During a widely shared instant, repeated nudges suggested an attempt to provoke affection in return as this scene captured the heart of what was unfolding.
Now viewed hundreds of times over millions, footage of Punch holding the soft toy spread widely on TikTok and Instagram, certain clips breaking past thirty million. Appearing next came drawings by followers, shared openly on X and Reddit alike. Without warning, #HangInTherePunch began trending far beyond its start.
“We’re ALL Punch’s family now,” one caption read alongside a monkey and crying face emoji. Others wrote, “We’re not okay,” “PUNCH is uniting the world,” and “Sometimes, family is who we find along the way.”
While this cute little creature finds a new fam now, the internet gave him the biggest hug ever even when he was alone and sad. And that’s the good side of the internet we would like to believe in (at least for today).
Baby Punch Found A Home
Nowhere stands out more than this change in Punch’s path: comfort once came from a soft toy and yet today it comes from a living guardian among his group.
Progress remains under observation by zoo staff, with signs showing slow adjustment to the group dynamic as although complete acceptance within intricate social structures requires patience, figures such as Onsing, offering steady protection, and point toward possible stability ahead.
Belonging can arrive long after dismissal, and to some on the internet, Punch’s inclusion means something, and not to sound too cliche, but to some it means everything.