Heartwarming video shows baby Punch finally accepted by his troop

In a touching display of compassion, Punch, a seven-month-old macaque monkey at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, has finally found acceptance within his troop. A viral video showing an adult monkey, Onsing, pulling the lonely infant into a gentle, reassuring embrace has captured the hearts of viewers worldwide.

Punch, who was abandoned by his mother at birth, first became an internet sensation when videos showed him clinging to a large orangutan plush toy for comfort. Despite his early struggles to fit in with the other monkeys, Punch's life took a positive turn after enduring several days of rejection from his troop.

A moving post by X user @dondawastaken reads, "After enduring days of rejection, Baby Punch finally experienced the comfort of love. Today, Onsing, an adult macaque, offered Punch a firm and deeply reassuring embrace."

Further footage revealed Punch being groomed by another adult monkey, signaling a key moment of trust and social bonding. In primate communities, grooming is a critical behavior used to foster relationships, build trust, and establish social hierarchies within the group.

Punch’s journey began when zookeepers introduced him to the macaque enclosure. His early attempts to integrate were met with indifference and even aggression from his peers. However, a thoughtful gesture from a zoo staff member — gifting Punch a plush toy — provided him with much-needed comfort and emotional support during those early difficult days.

The heartwarming videos of Punch’s transformation have since become a symbol of hope and resilience, reminding the world of the importance of compassion and the bonds that unite us all.

Punch's predicament sparked sympathy online, spawning a devoted Punch fanbase who began posting updates on the monkey under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.

On Friday, more than 100 visitors gathered around the monkey enclosure at the zoo, straining to take photos and shouting "hang in there!" as Punch tried to approach others in the troop.

"We're here since this morning. We rarely come to a zoo but we wanted to see cute Punch," said 32-year-old Sayaka Takimoto who drove two hours with her husband to see the monkey.

The couple said they found social media posts of Punch carrying around the soft toy "adorable."