The world has its eyes on Punch the baby monkey. The Ichikawa Zoo, where the adorable ape lives, reports long lines of people eager to see him almost every day. There are also several new videos of him shared on social media each day, whether it be of Punch hanging out with his troop, snuggling his orangutan plushie, or getting into a scuffle with other monkeys. When new clips of the latter emerge, fans around the world raise their concerns. After all, no one wants to see the small macaque being bullied, or worse, put in danger. To put people at ease, the Ichikawa Zoo released a statement, explaining what is going on.
The Zoo points out that while he has been scolded many times by other monkeys, no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him. “First, Japanese macaques follow a strict hierarchical society, and dominant individuals show ‘disciplining actions’ toward their subordinates. These behaviors differ from human ‘abuses.’”
The Zoo explains that Japanese primatologists have been studying these creatures for decades. “Based on the existing literature, this ‘discipline’ occurs naturally in Japanese macaque groups and is not limited to Punch’s group. These ‘disciplining actions’ do not occur incessantly, and Punch spends most of the day peacefully.”
The zoo also shares that the number of monkeys who look after or play with Punch is on the rise. “Because of this, the time Punch spends away from his stuffed toy has increased.” Still, they remain very vigilant and have no intention of turning a blind eye to this “discipline” encounters.
They also understand some people’s sentiment of separating him from the troop, but they have explained that he would never be able to return to the group later, and would have the rest of his life apart. “We share your concerns about Punch, and all the zookeepers and staff will continue to work together to ensure that Punch can continue to live a healthy life as part of this troop of monkeys.” Rather than feeling sorry for Punch, the zookeepers hope people will cheer him on
Overall, little Punch seems to be doing just fine. Some adults comforted him after he fell in a pond within his enclosure earlier this month. Still, he was seen playing around and eating to his heart’s content soon after. Being that, he has been seen running around upright on good two feet, a sure sign he is growing up—and learning a lot from watching his caretakers. Meanwhile, the zookeepers continue to greet Punch whenever they go into his enclosure, as the little macaque continues to cheerfully cling at them when they arrive.
Meanwhile, among the hundreds of people who have paid a visit to little Punch is singer Lisa of Blackpink. The K-pop star visited the zoo outside of Tokyo, bringing the same IKEA orangutan plushie Punch has with her. Not only were they matching, but the singer raised it over her head to catch Punch’s attention and let him know he is not alone.
To stay up to date with Punch, make sure to follow the Ichikawa Zoo on Instagram and X.
After some videos of Punch being “bullied” have gone viral, the Ichikawa Zoo released a statement, explaining what is going on.
ご一読いただけると幸いです。
パンチが「いじめられている」とされる動画について
Regarding the videos reportedly showing Punch “being bullied”#市川市動植物園#がんばれパンチ pic.twitter.com/l5s80fCuwG— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) March 10, 2026
Overall, little Punch seems to be doing just fine.
3/8(日)のパンチ
飼育員「ご心配の声もある左腕について、今日改めて獣医の診察を受けました。腫れや熱感は無いですが、今後も経過観察を続けます。今日もごはんをモリモリ食べ、元気いっぱいに過ごしていました」#市川市動植物園#がんばれパンチ pic.twitter.com/g4Hcmy1NlO— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) March 8, 2026
For example, some adults comforted him after he fell in a pond within his enclosure.
3/7(土)のパンチ
飼育員「15時のエサやり前に池に落ちてしまったようです。17時頃は、同じ年代の子ザルと遊ぶ姿が見られました。室内では、ごはんをたくさん食べたり走り回ったりして、いつもの元気なパンチでしたよ」#市川市動植物園#がんばれパンチ pic.twitter.com/zhOQGJqLSO— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) March 7, 2026
And he’s been getting celebrity visitors, like singer Lisa from Blackpink.
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