Punch's Story
On July 26, 2025, in the middle of a brutal Japanese heatwave, a tiny baby macaque was born at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Chiba, Japan. The next day, his mother stopped caring for him. Just one day old, the infant was alone -- but not for long. Two dedicated zookeepers stepped in, bottle-feeding him around the clock and giving him an oversized IKEA DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plushie for warmth and comfort. He clung to it immediately and hasn't let go since.
They named him Punch-kun (パンチくん), after Monkey Punch -- the legendary mangaka who created Lupin the Third. For months, the zookeepers raised him by hand, preparing him for the hardest challenge of his young life: joining the zoo's troop of roughly 60 macaques at Monkey Mountain.
On January 19, 2026, Punch was carefully introduced to the troop. Then, on February 5, the zoo shared his story on X (Twitter) -- and the world fell in love. Images of the tiny monkey clutching his oversized plushie among a crowd of wild macaques touched something universal. Within hours, #HangInTherePunch was trending globally. Now Punch-kun is learning the rules of monkey society, making friends, getting scolded by elders, and always returning to his plushie for comfort. His journey is far from over.
Timeline
Punch is born
A baby Japanese macaque is born at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Chiba, Japan during a severe heatwave. The difficult labor would lead to complications.
Abandoned by his mother
Punch's mother stops caring for him just one day after birth. Two dedicated zookeepers step in to hand-raise the tiny macaque with round-the-clock bottle feeding.
Meets his plushie companion
Zookeepers give Punch an IKEA DJUNGELSKOG orangutan stuffed animal for emotional comfort and to help build his climbing muscles. He immediately clings to it.
Named after a manga legend
The baby macaque is officially named Punch-kun (パンチくん), after Monkey Punch — the mangaka who created Lupin the Third.
Joins the troop at Monkey Mountain
After months of hand-raising, Punch is carefully introduced to the main macaque troop of approximately 60 monkeys at the zoo's Monkey Mountain enclosure.
The story goes viral
Ichikawa City Zoo posts Punch's backstory on X (Twitter). Within hours, the images of the tiny monkey clutching his oversized plushie captivate millions worldwide. #がんばれパンチ (#HangInTherePunch) trends globally.
First socialization update
The zoo reports Punch is "gradually deepening interactions with the troop." He's cautious but curious, often returning to his plushie for comfort between social encounters.
Learning social rules
Punch is interacting with more macaques and occasionally getting scolded by older troop members — a completely normal part of monkey social learning.
IKEA CEO visits the zoo
IKEA Japan CEO Petra Fare personally visits Ichikawa City Zoo. IKEA donates 33 DJUNGELSKOG stuffed animals and 7 storage items for the monkeys.
A tough day at the troop
A controversial video shows an adult female macaque dragging Punch across the enclosure. He flees to his plushie for comfort. The video sparks worldwide concern.
Acceptance begins
The zoo explains the dragging was normal macaque discipline. In a major milestone, adult macaque Onsing is seen grooming Punch — a key sign of social acceptance in macaque society.
Global phenomenon
DJUNGELSKOG sells out at IKEA stores worldwide. Justin Sun pledges $100K to the zoo. Punch becomes a symbol of resilience that transcends borders and languages.
Quality time with caretakers
Punch is taken out of the main enclosure for dedicated time with his zookeepers, balancing socialization with the comfort and care he still needs.