The Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Japan has responded to online claims that its viral star, punch the monkeyBeing bullied by fellow monkeys.
Punch has captured hearts around the world after a baby Japanese macaque was abandoned by his mother. Subsequently, zookeepers consoled him by giving him an Ikea orangutan toy as a replacement, which brought tears to the eyes of many spectators. To make matters worse, online footage shows Punch being constantly rejected by fellow primates, often resorting to his stuffed animal for emotional support.
Zoo officials have removed many monkeys from the enclosure
In a statement shared via X (formerly Twitter)The zoo addressed a new viral video. In the video, Punch appeared to be dragged by a large, adult monkey, which sparked concern online. Many people expressed concern over whether the zoo was doing enough to protect its animals.
“Although Punch has been scolded several times by other monkeys, none of the monkeys have shown serious aggression toward him,” the zoo said. “When you see these disciplinary behaviors from other military members toward Punch when he tries to communicate with them, we would like you to support Punch’s effort rather than feeling sorry for him.”
Primate experts at the zoo emphasized that much of the behavior observed was very normal for macaques. “They follow a strictly hierarchical society, and dominant figures show ‘disciplinary action’ towards their subordinates,” the statement said.
Macaques have been studied by zoo-related institutions for more than 80 years. Experts underlined that “these behaviors are different from human abuse”. Additionally, he noted that these actions “are not limited to a group of punches.”
The statement also added a more optimistic conclusion for those concerned about the punch. The zoo continued, “The number of monkeys caring for or playing with Punch is also increasing. Because of this, the amount of time Punch is away from his stuffed toy has increased.”
Tell us – do you think Punch Monkey is bullied?