Khaberni - The story of the small Japanese monkey "Punch" generated a wave of sympathy in Japan and beyond, after video clips documented his struggles during his first months in his cage in a zoo, following his mother's abandonment right after his birth, and his failure to integrate with the other monkeys.
According to the zookeepers, "Punch" suffered from clear isolation and was subjected to repeated attacks from other monkeys, which led his caregivers to search for alternatives that would give him a sense of security. They tried different rolled up towels and stuffed toys before settling on a stuffed monkey doll, which Punch became remarkably attached to, carrying it with him everywhere.
The circulated clips showed the young monkey resorting to his doll immediately after being beaten in the cage, in scenes described as painful, and which sparked global sadness on social media platforms, turning his story into widely shared content and making him a topic of public discussion within days.
Quickly, Punch became a destination for visitors in Japan, where hundreds flocked to the zoo to see him, and long queues formed at its gates, after his name topped global social media platforms as a symbol of the suffering of small creatures in unnatural environments.
In a positive development, the zookeepers announced that "Punch" had recently started to gradually integrate with the monkey group inside the cage, confirming that what he went through was part of a natural social learning process, and indicating that there might come a time when he no longer needs his doll.
