"As a result, we have received many voices of concern from people both in Japan and overseas," the zoo said in a statement Tuesday. The zoo added that Punch was becoming less reliant on the stuffed orangutan toy because increasing numbers of monkeys were looking after or playing with him. "Punch spends most of the day peacefully," the zoo added. Spurned by its mother, Punch was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year. Punch's predicament sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, as large crowds thronged the zoo, and sales of his IKEA orangutan toy boomed.

Source: Punch March 11, 2026 12:48 UTC