Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developmentsPunch became an internet sensation after videos emerged of him getting bullied by other monkeys in a Japanese zoo. Punch, a baby macaque abandoned by its mother, shot to stardom after being pictured getting bullied by other monkeys and seeking comfort from the orangutan toy at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo. Meanwhile, Swedish interior furnishings giant IKEA, the maker of the orangutan soft toy, said it was seeing “unprecedented” interest and “significantly” higher sales than usual. The zoo said it had set up a “restricted zone” around part of the monkey enclosure to reduce stress for the animals. In an update on Punch’s plight on Feb 22 , the zoo said he “was meticulously groomed by two monkeys and is steadily fitting into the group”.

Source: Punch February 24, 2026 16:52 UTC