Biography
Punch was born on July 26, 2025, at the Ichikawa City Zoo. He was named after Monkey Punch, the mangaka who authored Lupin the Third.[2] Subsequently, he was abandoned by his mother, who lacked interest in raising him. Alison Behie, a primatology expert at Australian National University, attributed "age, health and inexperience" as potential factors in mothers abandoning their offspring. Zookeepers have also suggested that Punch was born during a heatwave which is a "high stress environment" for mothers giving birth and they may "prioritise their own health and future reproduction rather than continue to care for an infant whose health may be compromised by those environmental conditions".[3] The following day, he was artificially fed, drinking milk from a baby bottle, and two caretakers began hand-raising him.[2]
Punch was integrated with other macaques at the zoo's Monkey Mountain, with around 60 monkeys, on January 19, 2026.[4][1] Due to the lack of a maternal figure, Punch initially struggled with socializing, showing "signs of anxiety and isolation".[5] However, one keeper stated that despite occasional ostracizing by other macaques, Punch was "mentally strong".[1] In one viral clip circulated in February, a monkey pushed Punch away.[6] Takashi Yasunaga, head of Ichikawa's zoo and botanical gardens, called Punch-kun "very outgoing".[2] To aid in his socialization and muscle growth, zoo officials gave Punch a Djungelskog orangutan plushie from IKEA, which he began clinging to and treating as a surrogate mother.[7][8][9]
As of February 23, 2026, the Ichikawa City Zoo reported that Punch was playing with other monkeys and able to eat without requiring help from a caretaker.[10] On March 5, the zoo announced that Punch was clinging his plushie toy less and had begun to socialize with adult monkeys.[11][12]