12/03/2026
For all those who have followed the story of Punch (the baby monkey 🐵 zoo) and Also for those who may have missed it…
The story of Punch has been on social media and in the news for more than a month now, but if we think deeply about it, why the story has moved millions of hearts across the world , why have so many people felt so connected that they are actually visited the Japan zoo to check on his well-being? The IKEA soft toy that Punch was playing with, had even gone out of stock in stores. All major news channels, social media , local news channels and even news paper have covered his story.
It is not the first time that a baby monkey has been abandoned by his mother after birth, (reason unknown, could be complicated delivery or could be postpartum).
In wildlife, this is not something new. But what touched everyone’s heart is that we witnessed Punch’s struggle on camera through videos and photos — the feeling of abandonment, the absence of motherly care, comfort and love, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, confusion, bullying by other monkeys, and rejection by the tribe.
Many such moments were captured by the zoo team, which made thousands of people relate their own pain in life to what Punch was going through. When you see the images and videos of the baby Punch you could relate all these emotion the little one is going through in his eyes..🐵… yet he is determined and roaming around everywhere by pulling the equal or slightly bigger size toy…to show the world that he found what he was looking for. Hence, the compassion , kindness, care, and love have been poured onto him.
A very special mention and appreciation goes to the zookeeper team, who not only understood his struggle and showed empathy towards the baby monkey, but genuinely tried to help him come out of his distressing situation by offering him the Soft toy. It is incredible that sometimes just a simple solution or an act of kindness can fill up the void or can bring the lasting happiness. For others , it may appears to be a very small act by the zookeeper but it has indeed done wonders for Punch. Through the soft toy, he not only found a companion and comfort but also rediscovered his strength and confidence to live and overcome the pain of rejection. Though he must have missed his mother’s touch and warmth — something no one can replace — by hugging the soft toy every time he re-assured himself that he is not alone. He faced each new day with resilience by standing firm each time he is pushed away , ignored or left alone by the tribe members.
Punch is adorable, no doubt. It feels wonderful that he is now being accepted by other monkeys and that things are getting better for him. He has survived the most difficult part of his early childhood. We are sure he will be a fighter for the rest of his life, as that instinct will remain with him forever, whether the toy stays with him or not. It is a triumph — truly a story of survival that will be remembered for long !!
Does Punch will ever know or realise it that so many people across the world felt his pain, resonated with his feelings, they were worried for him and praying and loving him from distances? The answer is no. He has not and may never will know; So far, AI has not yet progressed that much to translate and convey the collective emotions of distant humans to an animal (no offence to AI or technology — in the future, nothing is impossible).
What are my 2 take away from Punch’s story is be true to yourself and be kind enough to look around be or bring a ray of hope in someone’s life if that helps him or her bounce back to life💕 . Struggles in life are endless, but what matters is surviving the most current one and standing up for the next one !! 🙏🏼
Loved a beautiful message came across which concludes the story beautifully :
We all understand the pain of loneliness, and in Punch’s small, silent search for comfort, we recognised our own longing to belong 💕☺️.
Dedicated to the little Punch🐵 , the zookeeper team 🙏🏼 And to all of us who have the fighting spirit of survival inside us .🙏🏼
- Harshada Mohite-Desai, Reading, UK
https://www.facebook.com/reel/845029791895123/?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&fs=e&fs=e
