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

Punch the Monkey, a baby at Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo, went viral after bonding with a plush toy. Here’s why the internet can’t stop talking about him.

Discover the touching story of Punch, a Japanese macaque who formed a unique bond with a plush toy after being abandoned by his mother.

Some monkey species have unique mating habits that make it difficult to know which monkey fathered a specific infant. However, studies have shown that even if a young monkey doesn’t know who its father is, it can still identify other monkeys from the paternal side of its family.

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.

Punch the Monkey, a baby Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo, captured hearts worldwide after being abandoned and finding comfort in a stuffed toy.

A baby monkey, a plush toy, and Gen Z in tears. Why Punch's viral story feels way too personal, and what it says about us.