Orphaned baby monkey finds comfort in stuffed animal after being abandoned by mother at birth

Huge lines are forming outside a small zoo in Japan, all for one tiny monkey and the stuffed animal he refuses to let go of.

Visitors have been crowding Ichikawa City Zoo after photos of a baby macaque clutching an oversized plush orangutan spread across social media.

The monkey, known as Punch-kun, carries the toy everywhere: dragging it across his enclosure, eating beside it and curling around it to sleep.

In a Feb. 15 statement posted on X, zoo officials said staff were stunned by the surge in visitors.

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“All of our staff were surprised by the unexpected turnout, something we have never experienced before,” the zoo said, apologizing for entrance delays as crowds grew far beyond normal levels.

But behind the viral moment is a heartbreaking backstory. According to a News.au report as well as the Zoo’s X page, Punch was born in July 2025 but was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth.

Zoo caretakers stepped in to hand-raise him, carefully monitoring his development and gradually introducing him to other macaques.

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Punch-kun sits tentatively at the edge of his enclosure, guarding his precious stuffed orangutan in this video caught by an Ichikawa City Zoo visitor. (@20230605x_x via Storyful / Storyful)

When he was finally moved into the group full-time, staff noticed he was struggling to integrate. Like many primates, baby macaques instinctively cling to their mothers from birth. Without that bond, Punch showed signs of anxiety and isolation.

Caretakers gave him the oversized stuffed orangutan as a source of comfort and he hasn’t let go since. The six-month-old now treats the plush toy like an adopted mother, keeping it close while navigating life inside the enclosure.

Images shared by the zoo quickly went viral, drawing visitors from across Japan hoping to see him in person.

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Punch drags his trusted companion around his enclosure in spectator video. (@20230605x_x via Storyful / Storyful)

“It is cute to see the little monkey dragging the stuffed animal around but it is very sad at the same time,” one observer wrote on X.

Another visitor said Punch proudly showed off his toy while running and lying down during their visit. Others expressed concern for his emotional well-being while praising zoo staff for supporting him.

“I really hope Punch finds his place,” one commenter wrote. “Seeing the staff support him through his struggles shows their deep commitment.”

In a separate update, the zoo said Punch is now “gradually deepening his interactions” with the other monkeys.

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He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.

For now, though, the stuffed orangutan remains close. As crowds gather outside his enclosure, the tiny monkey can still be seen gripping the only comfort he knows, a plush stand-in for the mother who left him behind.

Read more of this story on FOX News.