In a video that has melted millions of hearts worldwide, a tiny Japanese macaque named Punch-kun is seen being dragged by an adult female monkey before breaking free and desperately clinging to an orange orangutan stuffed toy. The viral moment, captured at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, raises profound questions: Do monkeys feel emotions like humans? And why would a baby monkey treat a toy as its mother?
The Story Behind Punch-kun's Viral Moment
Born on July 26, 2025, Punch-kun entered the world weighing just 500 grams. His mother, a 6-month pregnant female macaque giving birth for the first time, was so exhausted from labor complications during extreme summer heat that she showed no interest in her newborn.
In Japanese macaque societies, group members typically help raise infants. But remarkably, no other female in the troop stepped forward to adopt the abandoned baby. Zoo staff began bottle-feeding him from the very next day.
The heartbreaking video that recently went viral shows Punch-kun attempting to approach another baby monkey when an adult female—likely protecting her own offspring—grabbed him and spun him around on the ground. After escaping, the frightened infant ran straight to his beloved orange orangutan toy, which social media users have lovingly named "Ora-mom."
Why Did Punch-kun Choose a Toy Over Real Monkeys?
The answer lies in groundbreaking scientific research from more than six decades ago.
Dr. Harry Harlow's famous "Monkey Experiment" in 1958 revealed something extraordinary about monkey emotions and attachment. When separated from their real mothers, baby monkeys were given two choices: a wire "mother" with a milk bottle, or a soft cloth "mother" with no food.
The results were striking. Infant monkeys spent 70% of their time clinging to the cloth mother, visiting the wire mother only when hungry. When frightened by strange objects, they ran not to the food provider but to the soft, comforting cloth figure.
This demonstrated that "touch comfort"—the physical sensation of hugging and being hugged—matters more to infant monkeys than food alone.
Psychologist Richard Passman explains that comfort objects like blankets or toys give children something their real mothers cannot: complete control. "Sometimes a blanket means more to a child than even their mother," Passman notes.
Do Monkeys Really Feel Emotions Like Humans?
The short answer, according to leading primatologists, is yes—with some important distinctions.
Dr. Frans de Waal, a renowned primatologist, puts it simply: "It's not that human emotions are found only in humans. Our feelings have become more extensive and refined, but fundamentally they are not different from monkeys."
Scientific evidence supporting monkey emotions includes:
- Brain structure similarity: Monkeys possess the same brain regions responsible for emotions in humans—the prefrontal cortex for emotional control, anterior cingulate cortex for empathy, and amygdala for fear responses
- Stress responses: Cortisol levels rise in monkeys during stressful situations, just as they do in humans
- Grief manifestations: Female monkeys have been observed carrying dead infants for days, showing physical symptoms like weight loss and reduced brain blood flow
- Fairness sensitivity: In experiments, monkeys refused cucumber when they saw another monkey receiving grapes—demonstrating awareness of inequity
- Empathy: Macaque monkeys stopped pulling chains that delivered food if it meant giving electric shocks to other monkeys
However, monkey emotions differ from human feelings in important ways. Empathy in monkeys isn't as developed as in humans. Complex emotions like shame, pride, and deep abstract thinking remain less evolved in our primate cousins.
Why Did Other Monkeys Attack Punch-kun?
On January 19, 2026, zoo staff introduced Punch-kun to an enclosure housing approximately 60 macaques. What followed was troubling.
The young monkey became a target. On February 20, an adult female dragged him several meters—the incident captured in the viral video.
According to research published on Nature's website, macaque troops can reject individuals they perceive as different. Punch-kun's attachment to his toy marked him as unusual. His isolation made him vulnerable, and his inexperience reading social signals from other monkeys turned him into an easy target.
Aggression in macaque troops often stems from social tensions, with larger monkeys asserting dominance. Punch-kun, small and socially awkward, simply couldn't navigate the complex hierarchy of monkey society.
What's Next for Punch-kun?
Ichikawa City Zoo has implemented a special routine where staff members regularly visit Punch-kun. When zookeepers enter the enclosure for feeding, the little monkey immediately clings to their feet—while other macaques maintain careful distance.
Zoo officials report that Punch-kun is gradually increasing interaction with the monkey troop. He's learning through trial and error, experiencing mild scuffles and daily social lessons.
"We are hopeful he will soon learn to live in the troop like a normal monkey," a zoo representative shared.
Understanding Japanese Macaques
Macaques rank among the world's most intelligent and adaptable primates. They live in structured social groups with clear hierarchies—typically one leader, followed by females, with young monkeys learning from elders.
These remarkable animals:
- Groom each other to build social bonds
- Adapt successfully to human environments
- Communicate through complex signals
- Live in troops that can exceed 100 individuals
In India, the rhesus macaque species is commonly seen in both rural and urban settings.
The Bottom Line
Punch-kun's story touches something universal—the fundamental need for comfort, security, and connection that transcends species. His choice of a stuffed toy over real companions isn't strange behavior; it's a survival instinct rooted in millions of years of primate evolution.
As scientists continue studying monkey emotions, stories like Punch-kun's remind us that the line between human and animal feelings is far blurrier than we once believed.
For now, the little macaque with the enormous online following continues his slow journey toward acceptance—one tentative step, one mild scuffle, and one hopeful day at a time.
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