They’re a knockout duo.
Punch, the seven-month-old macaque who stole the internet’s heart, has made a new pal at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
And he’s introduced his new buddy to the most important thing in his life.
In a heartwarming video shared on Instagram this week, baby Punch and his new macaque friend are seen hanging out — as they both cozy up to Punch’s stuffed orangutan toy.
Baby Punch went viral last month, after the zoo outside Tokyo shared footage of the young macaque who had become completely attached to the stuffed orangutan — cuddling it as he falls asleep and dragging it everywhere he went despite it being bigger than him.
After he was abandoned by his mother after birth and lacking maternal guidance, Punch had trouble fitting in — as highlighted by a particularly heartbreaking video emerging last month where he was beaten and dragged by the older monkeys. The plush toy has helped him turn a corner.
In the new video, a Japanese blogger, who has been documenting Punch’s adventures, said she asked staff about the incident.
“The zookeeper told me ‘the other day, after the zoo closed, Panchi walked on a monkey’s balls… That’s why he got scolded,’” she wrote, adding the zookeeper told her, “‘he wasn’t bullied, he was just learning the rules. He’s a very mischievous boy!’”
“I feel relieved,” she admitted.
In the footage, Punch and his new friend are even seen sharing a bite — hanging out in a corner of the monkey enclosure and munching on tiny pieces of food they pick up from the stuffed orangutan.
