Luke Rector ‘28, Photo Editor
Those that have been on social media recently have undoubtedly heard of Punch the Monkey. But who exactly is Punch, and why has he been breaking everyone’s heart online?
Punch is a Japanese macaque monkey who resides at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. He was born on July 26, 2025; however, shortly after his birth, he was abandoned by his mother due to her stress and potentially the summer season in which he was born. As a result of this, he had to be raised by zoo staff in order to survive his youth.
The zoo staff has begun reintegrating Punch back into the monkey troop, which is home to over 60 monkeys. According to the zoo, he has made great strides in reintroducing himself with the rest of the monkeys. Despite what many believe, Punch has not been bullied by the other monkeys. This is merely the monkeys’ way of teaching Punch the rules of the troop. Typically, his mother would handle this job, but due to Punch’s unique circumstances, it has been up to the troop to teach Punch.
Due to his lack of a proper mother-figure, Punch was given an IKEA stuffed orangutan plush to aid in helping him get to know the other monkeys in his troop; he is often seen cuddling it and using it as a surrogate mother. After an incident where Punch was scolded by the other monkeys, he was recorded and seen running to it for comfort, making millions online weep in sympathy.
Punch originated as a Japanese trend with the Ichikawa City Zoo posting about Punch’s story on Feb. 5, blowing up overnight. By the next day, the hashtag “hang in there Punch” was trending. Within weeks, this small Japanese trend became an international phenomenon.
Punch quickly became an international sensation due to his upsetting set of circumstances. His story has been one of the most popular of the year so far across social media. His plush orangutan has been sold across IKEA’s globally, becoming a popular scalper item.
To keep it simple, Punch has become an international treasure that has won the hearts of everyone who has seen him. Everyone loves him because humans are naturally sympathetic and many people have found lessons in Punch’s story, his story has inspired many to keep going and push through obstacles.
Punch’s story has reminded many to stay strong in hard times, and keep going, finding sources of comfort in the most unexpected places, people, and stories.
Lyon Life 