Viral Baby Monkey Punch Draws Crowds to Ichikawa City Zoo

• Punch, a baby Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens, was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth.
• Hand-reared by zookeepers, Punch found comfort in a bright orange plush orangutan, now affectionately called “oran-mama,” which he carries everywhere.
• His story of clinging to the plushie for emotional support has gone viral, attracting a significant increase in visitors to the zoo in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
• The zoo is located in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, and is accessible via public transport from Haneda and Narita airports, followed by a short bus or taxi ride from Ichikawa Station.
• Visitors can find Punch in the Japanese macaque enclosure; respectful behavior is encouraged, with rules against loud noises, flash photography, and feeding animals.