Evan Potwora | Opinion Editor
February 27, 2026
Over the past few weeks, a certain primate has been flooding people’s social media pages and hearts. A baby monkey named Punch was born at the Ichikawa City Zoo, but was abandoned by his mother at birth. Zookeepers quickly took interest in him and gave him an IKEA stuffed orangutan in place. Punch is a macaque monkey native to Asia, Northern Africa, and Europe, with over 23 unique species. The social structures of macaques are very particular, as the hierarchy is strict, and placement depends on unique species. Additionally, they are very dependent on their mothers in their early days, as they integrate them into the family. Zookeepers believe the reason Punch was abandoned was due to the heatwave occurring during his mother’s labor, causing too much stress for the mother.
Nevertheless, Punch began attracting visitors’ attention as he ran around the enclosure, holding onto his make-shift mom for comfort. However, he quickly gained worldwide fame when a video of him being dragged and pushed by elder monkeys caused many to form an attachment to Punch. He would be seen playing by himself, running away from the other monkeys in fear. Junior Stephani Benitez exclaimed that, “[she] was really sad that no one wanted to adopt him, and seeing him being dragged was devastating and disappointing.”
The only constant that Punch had was his stuffed animal.
The attention this stuffed animal, the IKEA Djungelskog, received caused the product to fly off the shelves of IKEA stores across the globe. Almost all Djungelskogs were sold out online and in person, and resellers priced the stuffed monkey across resale sites. IKEA caught Punch’s attention and donated dozens of stuffed animals, showing its support for the motherless monkey. Additionally, the zoo doubled its visitor numbers, becoming a star attraction in recent weeks for visitors from Japan.
Zoo keepers continued to explain how Punch couldn’t seem to fit into the social structure, displaying “signs of anxiety and isolation. However, recent videos have shown Punch being groomed and embracing older monkeys, suggesting he might finally be fitting in! Zoo keepers explained that they have hope for Punch, as he is displaying signs that he will find his place among his fellow monkeys. Junior Emma Burke shared that she is “very optimistic for him; he seems like he is really trying hard to be a part of a family, so [she is] hopeful that he will soon find his place.”
Punch offers a distraction for many from the rush of life, a story they hold onto for hope. Benitez explained that, “through all [of his] tests and school work, Punch has brought [him] joy and hope.” Punch is a symbol of how, despite the differences of our time, when rooting for the underdog, the world can come together and hope for the best. Burke expanded that, “Punch has been talked about in almost all [of her] classes, who knew this monkey could bring so many people together!” As Punch continues to grow up, the world is crossing its fingers, hoping he will finally find his place.
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