Why Is X Flooded With Monkey Videos Today?
For now, Punch remains under the care of zoo staff and firmly in the hearts of social media users as debates continue online over animal behaviour.
If you log into your social media account today, one video that is surely going to pop up again and again is of a baby monkey dragging a stuffed toy. But why is this video trending, and what is the story behind it?
The baby macaque in the video is from Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan and is named Punch.
I am not crying, you are.
— Crazy Moments (@Crazymoments01) February 22, 2026
For those who aren’t familiar with Punch, he is a baby monkey from Japan who was separated from his mother shortly after birth. Since then, zookeepers have been raising him and hand-feeding him to help him survive.
Because he did not have his mother,… pic.twitter.com/nXfVevaZcX
Punch went viral after a video showed him dragging a stuffed orangutan around his enclosure. According to the zoo’s website, the infant monkey was abandoned by his mother at birth and has since been hand-raised by staff. Caretakers gave him the plush toy to help him cope with loneliness, and the sight of the tiny macaque clinging to the stuffed animal quickly won over viewers online.
But a new video posted on Thursday shifted the mood dramatically.
Heartbreaking Video Goes Viral
In the footage, Punch is approached by a larger monkey that grabs him and drags him in circles across the ground. The baby macaque eventually breaks free and runs to a corner of the enclosure, clutching his stuffed orangutan for comfort. The two monkeys can be heard screaming, while shocked onlookers gasp in the background.
The clip spread rapidly across X, with many users expressing distress and anger over what they perceived as bullying.
Zoo Says Punch 'Shows Resilience'
On Friday, February 20, Ichikawa City Zoo addressed the viral moment in a statement posted on social media. The zoo explained that shortly before the incident, Punch had attempted to interact with another baby monkey in the habitat but was rejected.
According to the statement, the adult monkey seen dragging Punch is likely the mother of the baby he tried to approach. The zoo suggested she may have interpreted Punch’s behaviour as bothersome to her infant and reacted defensively.
“While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength,” the statement read. The zoo urged viewers not to feel sorry for him but to support his efforts to socialise and integrate with the troop, noting that such disciplinary behaviour can occur within monkey groups.
IKEA Japan Steps In With Support
Punch’s beloved stuffed companion appears to be IKEA’s Djungelskog plush toy, which retails for about $20. Following the viral attention, IKEA Japan President Petra Färe visited the zoo on Tuesday, February 17, donating additional stuffed animals for Punch and other animals at the facility.
For now, Punch remains under the care of zoo staff and firmly in the hearts of social media users as debates continue online over animal behaviour, intervention, and the fine line between nature and nurture.
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