Viral Loop

A baby monkey in Japan is going viral — and his name is Punch-kun.

Meet Punch, a young Japanese macaque who had a heartbreaking start in life. Abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, he was hand-raised by the caring staff at Ichikawa City Zoo.

When it was time to introduce him to other monkeys, Punch struggled to fit in. Rejected and unsure, he found comfort in a stuffed toy given to him by his keepers — a soft stand-in for the warmth he had lost.

Now, he carries that toy everywhere he goes — a small symbol of comfort, resilience, and a baby monkey still learning how to belong.