The ‘loneliest’ monkey: Why millions are rooting for Punch, the baby macaque with a toy orangutan

According to Heraldo USA, zookeepers are hand-raising him and have been tracking his development while slowly helping him get friendly with other macaques. “Baby Japanese macaques immediately cling on to their mother’s body after birth to build muscle strength. They also get a sense of security through holding on to something. However, because he had been abandoned, Punch had nothing to grip onto,” The Guardian quoted zookeeper Kosuke Shikano.

the way punch always hides herself w the plushie to get comfort :((((((((pic.twitter.com/MhaRNZVMUU

— kwoson 🥐 (@wdclebbl) February 22, 2026

For some people, life feels unfair from the very first day they enter this world 💔#Punch

pic.twitter.com/69FMXcLPOY

— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) February 20, 2026

As the Internet continues to express concern about Punch, a primatology expert at Australian National University explained why monkeys abandon their babies. “In Punch’s case, their mother was a first-time mother, indicating inexperience,” Alison Behie told The Guardian.

Behie further stressed that abandonment can occur due to several factors, including age, health, and a lack of experience.

“Zookeepers also suggest Punch was born during a heatwave, which would be a high-stress environment. In environments where survival is threatened from outside stress, mothers may prioritise their own health and future reproduction rather than continue to care for an infant whose health may be compromised by those environmental conditions,” Behie added.

Meanwhile, Carla Litchgfield, a conservation psychologist at Adelaide University, highlighted the impacts of habitat loss, climate change, and the “power of social media to connect people to animals.”

“However, hopefully the millions of social media likes, and attention won’t exacerbate the problem of illegal trade in infant monkeys for the exotic pet trade because everyone thinks baby monkeys are cute and would make a great pet,” Litchgfield said, as quoted by The Guardian.