Because we all need a little softness in this rough world. For the past few days, this little ball of fur has taken the internet by storm! And for good reason: Punch, a six-month-old baby macaque abandoned by his mother, has found comfort in a plush orangutan. Trust us, the photos of this unlikely duo are absolutely adorable!
The Cutest Star on Social Media
Born last July in Japan, at the Ishikawa city zoo – reported by the Daily Mail – Punch unfortunately had little chance of survival after being rejected by his mom. So, the animal caretakers had to take care of the little monkey, feeding him by hand every day and keeping a close eye on him. The only hiccup? Baby monkeys have the annoying (but purely instinctive and natural) tendency to cling to their mothers right from birth. Not so lucky for Punch, who finds himself...rc; propelled into the harsh reality of life without any support… So to ease his anxiety, the caregivers opted for blankets and stuffed animals, which the little monkey could snuggle up to. And one of them particularly caught his attention!
In Japan Ichikawa City Zoo, a monkey named Punch was abandoned by his mother and raised by humans.
— rising soul (@nareshdarna) February 15, 2026
When introduced to other monkeys, he struggled to fit in and instead hugs a doll given by caretakers for comfort.
It’s cute but also shows how early separation affected his social… pic.twitter.com/9fffxXug9R
An Absolutely Adorable Duo
The images have melted hearts all around the globe. Punch never leaves his stuffed orangutan, which has almost become a substitute mom. Although the little one was introduced to a small group of macaques (for the first time in January), and even though he interacts well with others and is adapting to community life, we rarely see him walking around without his cuddly toy. In short, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, we’ll let you discover the photos, but beware, you might just melt from the cuteness overload!
More information about Punch, the baby monkey at Ichikawa Zoo in Japan.
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) February 14, 2026
He was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and has been hand‑raised by zookeepers.
They gave him a plush orangutan toy, which he carries everywhere, hugging it while he sleeps, using it for… pic.twitter.com/qn1fO7Wu1n
See this post on Instagram
Voir cette publication sur Instagram