Skip to main content
institutional access

You are connecting from
Lake Geneva Public Library,
please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.

Published loading...Updated

Abandoned Baby Monkey Wins Fans After Bonding with Soft Toy

Caretakers hand-reared Punch, a macaque abandoned at birth, who clings to a stuffed orangutan as he gradually integrates with other monkeys at Ichikawa City Zoo.

  • On February 15, Ichikawa City Zoo said hundreds visited after photos of Punch, a six-month-old baby macaque, cuddling an oversized orange plush orangutan went viral.
  • Born in July last year and abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, Punch was hand-raised and hand-fed by Ichikawa City Zoo staff who provided the oversized stuffed orangutan as a surrogate.
  • Caretakers note that Punch treats the stuffed orangutan like a mother, clinging to it while sleeping and frightened, using it while eating and playing, as staff report gradual social progress with other macaques.
  • Visitors formed huge lines to see Punch, prompting apologies from the zoo staff who said they were surprised by the turnout, raising welfare concerns for other animals.
  • Amid trending coverage, the hashtag `HangInTherePunch` helped spread images worldwide, highlighting how social media amplifies welfare stories and supports animal-care efforts at the zoo.
Insights by Ground AI

20 Articles

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 47% of the sources lean Right
47% Right

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

WTX News broke the news in on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal