Punch the Monkey's update as the Zoo addresses hair loss concerns

Dubai: If you have spent any time online recently and have not yet encountered Punch, the seven-month-old Japanese macaque from Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, then, you need to meet the internet's most beloved monkey that has all of our hearts captured.

Punch went viral after being abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July last year. She was apparently just stressed, which, fair enough.

The result was that Punch ended up being hand-raised by zookeepers, clinging to a stuffed orangutan from IKEA for comfort. People immediately fell in love with him. Not just because it was sweet, but because something about a small creature finding solace in a soft toy melted hearts.

Since January, Punch has been living with the wider macaque troop, stuffed orangutan firmly in tow. Videos of him being pushed around by the other monkeys sent the internet into a panic, though keepers were quick to reassure everyone that no single monkey has shown serious aggression towards him. That did little to stop people refreshing for updates every few hours.

According to a keeper update posted on the zoo's official X account on February 23, things are looking up.

"From what I could see, there were no scenes of him being scolded, and he was observed playing with the other baby monkeys," the keeper wrote.

"During mealtime, he came down from the keeper's foot on his own and started eating by himself. He continues to do well."

That last detail matters more than it might seem. For the first five months of his life, Punch clung to his keepers during meals rather than eating alongside the other monkeys. Choosing to eat on his own is a sign that his confidence is growing.

He still carries his stuffed animal everywhere, which nobody is complaining about. But he is also exploring his enclosure more, has found something of a protector within the group, and has been spotted copying the grooming behaviour of older monkeys, which is exactly how macaques learn to bond socially.

There is also a clip of him wobbling around on two legs with a stick in hand. It is as adorable as it sounds.

He has also, apparently, learnt to open doors.

Beyond Punch, the zoo has been fielding a wave of concern about the wider macaque troop. Visitors had noticed that some of the monkeys appear to have significant hair loss, and questions were being raised about their health and living conditions.

On February 25, the zoo posted a detailed statement on X. A spokesperson confirmed that a few macaques do have notable hair loss, but said their food intake and weight are appropriate and that no clear illness has been identified.

"We believe the main cause is excessive grooming habits," the statement read. "To improve this issue and promote healthy group life, three staff members have been working together since June 2025 to develop approaches and conduct testing."

On the question of Punch's environment specifically, the zoo explained that four rooms at the back of the enclosure, out of public view, are always available for the monkeys to retreat to, and that Punch uses this space to hide when he needs to.

The zoo was also clear about why they are not making any big changes right now.

"Making a radical change to the monkey mountain environment would upset the macaques and may lead to Punch being bullied," the statement said. "For this reason, we would like to prioritise Punch becoming a member of the troop safely while improving the monkeys' health conditions as much as possible."

The statement closed with a note to followers: "We ask for your continued support for Punch and the other troop monkeys."

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.