Punch, the baby macaque who went viral for clinging to a stuffed toy orangutan for comfort, has gone viral once more, this time for being seen cuddling with another macaque.
Earlier this year, he drew global attention after being rejected by his mother and becoming isolated from other monkeys. Recent clips, however, suggested his story had shifted in a more hopeful direction.
Fans loved the idea of a monkey romance, but reality seemed less dramatic
Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, where visitors and viewers online could watch Punch interact closely with a five-year-old macaque named Momo-chan. The two were seen chasing each other, embracing, and even appearing to "kiss." Meanwhile, Punch’s long-trusted plush toy still showed up in some clips, though it no longer dominated his attention.
Although fans quickly framed the bond as a love story, others took a more grounded view. As videos spread across social media, viewers reacted with humor and relief. One Redditor joked, "Punch got a girl before I did." Another wrote, "punch single-handedly sustaining the mental health of millions." Many leaned into the emotional arc, calling Punch "one of the few rays of sunshine in this sh*tty world."
However, some commenters pushed back on the romance narrative that was being suggested by some. Redditor u/Electric-Boogaloo-43 explained, "Macaques reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years... Moe-chan is 5 years old, and Punch is 7 months old, so more like a big sister or female companion." They added that zookeepers had reported she helped him emotionally from the start.
Even so, the internet continued to celebrate the connection. u/Mysterious_Bit_5385 shared, "My life is still going in weird place, but i love seeing this little guy growing infront our eyes." Another added simply, "Punch really is that dude, aura unbeatable."
Update on Punch: He has found a girlfriend now
byu/Yujin-Ha inFauxmoi
Punch’s progress reflected something bigger than viral fame
Before this shift, Punch’s story had been far more uncertain. After his mother abandoned him at birth, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy to encourage natural clinging behavior. He eventually chose a long-limbed orangutan plush, which became his constant companion.
At first, he appeared withdrawn from other macaques, which led many to assume he had been rejected by the troop as a whole. However, zoo officials later clarified that he had not been bullied, but rather needed time to adjust.
Now, things seemed to be improving. In addition to bonding with Momo-chan, Punch had been seen sitting among adult monkeys, getting groomed, and even riding on another monkey’s back.
Many people complained about the state of the enclosure at the Japanese zoo, which currently doesn't mimic the natural habitats of the animals, but as u/Teh_Faerie24470 explained, "They [are] just accepting donations since yesterday. They did not get anything before. And the entree fee is only $3 for adults and $1 kids. So it wasn’t that much. The zoo was also and still is in debt. They are planning on improving the zoo with the donated money 🙂"
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