The heartbreaking tale of a lonely baby monkey at a Japanese zoo has seemingly taken a wholesome turn

Legions of fans from around the world have been cheering on Punch, a 7-month-old macaque who had been struggling to socialize at a zoo outside Tokyo.

Not since Moo Deng the hippo has a unique animal captured the internet's attention in this way

It’s common for monkeys to cling to their mothers from birth – so to help combat his anxiety and assist with his loneliness, caretakers gave him an oversized stuffed orangutan that he’s now established a strong bond with, taking it everywhere he goes.

Viral images of a sad, lonely monkey broke hearts around the world, but it looks like things are finally looking up for dear Punch.

This sad story started in July 2025, when Punch the monkey was born. Sadly, his biological mother rejected him, which would have been a death sentence for the macaque in the wild. Thankfully, keepers at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan were on hand to help.

Five little monkeys swinging from a tree. An animated version of the popular children's nursery rhyme 'Five little monkeys swinging from a tree' with lyrics.

The Gay Little Monkey meme references an image of a little boy wearing a tight, one-piece monkey costume in an Apple Store standing with one leg bent and leaning on the other as he plays on an iPad. The image first went viral in the early 2010s and has ...

This monkey loves their canine sibling’s tail!