Why Has Punch The Viral Monkey Outgrown His IKEA Plushie?
Punch, the internet’s viral macaque who always clings to his orangutan plushie, has finally seemed to have outgrown it. The stuffed toy became a source of comfort and security after he was abandoned at birth by his mother. And soon clips of him clinging to the IKEA doll became a social media phenomenon, and people couldn’t stop talking about it. However, the situation is changing, and the monkey is slowly leaving his toy behind to make new friends from the troop.
In a recent post, Punch was seen climbing on the back of another adult macaque and going around the enclosure. He can also be seen sitting with other members of the troop and even getting groomed or hugged by others. Day by day is spending less time with the stuffed toy and more time making new friends. “Helping Punch learn the rules of monkey society and being accepted as a member is our most important task,” a 24-year-old zookeeper, Kosuke Kano, said, per The Guardian.
Onlookers of the changing times also rejoiced at the endearing moment. “It was good to see him grow, and I’m reassured. He is adorable!” said a fan of the baby monkey. Other visitors have also posted clips of the monkey mingling with the other macaques. “When he grows out of the plush toy that encourages his independence, and that’s what we are hoping for,” Shigekazu Mizushina, the zoo director, said. Although Punch still sleeps with the orangutan toy every night, Mizushina and the other keepers hope to see Punch sleeping with other monkeys next.
The 7-month-old is currently placed at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Japan. His heartbreaking story quickly caught the people’s attention when a video of him clinging to his stuffed toy after getting bullied by other monkeys went viral. Whenever he needs companionship, the monkey turns towards the wide-eyed plushie and treats it as a surrogate mother. Because Punch was separated from his mother at birth, zookeepers had to step in. The team tried to find a comforting replacement at birth, which includes rolled towels and various plush toys. However, they finally found the perfect substitute in an orangutan plushie from IKEA.
However, people have raised concerns about Punch’s current habitat. Online users and animal welfare advocates have pointed out the lack of a suitable environment for macaques to grow up in. It has been emphasized that the facility does not have enough greenery and climbing structures to keep the macaques stimulated. Such features are especially important for Japanese macaques as they rely heavily on interaction. But those challenges have become even greater for Punch, who was rejected by his mother. He missed out on early bonding, which helps young macaques understand behavior inside a troop.
Nevertheless, the zoo has ensured that the animals’ welfare is its top priority. They also explained that what many people think of as violence is perfectly normal behavior among macaques. “While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength. When you observe these disciplinary behaviors from other troop members toward Punch when he tries to communicate with them, we would like you to support Punch’s effort rather than feel sorry for him,” they wrote in a statement.
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