Punch, who grew up without a mother's care, now looks after the little ones at the zoo - VIDEO
The Japanese macaque Punch, who became famous for his attachment to a plush orangutan, has grown up and now shows care for his younger relatives himself.
Touching footage has appeared online in which the little monkey plays with an infant and looks after it.
In the new videos, Punch is already hard to recognize: from a shy youngster he has turned into a large and self-confident macaque. He now actively interacts with the other inhabitants of the Ichikawa zoo, spends time with the little monkeys and, judging by the published footage, tries to protect them.
Punch himself was born in the summer of 2025, but his mother refused to care for him. At first, the responsibilities of caring for the newborn were taken on by the zoo staff. In order to provide the infant with the tactile contact necessary for primates, the keepers gave him a soft toy in the shape of an orangutan.
The plush friend quickly became an indispensable companion for Punch. The macaque carried the toy with him everywhere, hugged it and sought comfort next to it, especially after unpleasant clashes with other monkeys.
In the winter of 2026, Punch's story gained wide fame on the internet. Over time, he settled in among his fellow monkeys and began to need his plush friend less. Now it is his relationships with the zoo's younger inhabitants that attract users' attention.
