Who Is Punch the Monkey?
More specifically, why is the internet swooning over him? Punch the macaque lives in Ichikawa Zoo, located in the Chiba Prefecture of Japan. His mother abandoned him when he was a mere baby, likely due to summer birth exhaustion. Zookeepers believed that even if Punch’s mother wouldn’t come around to caring for him, other macaques in the habitat would eventually take him in as one of their own. Unfortunately for Punch, this didn’t come to fruition.
To better acclimate and comfort Punch, zookeepers sought out specific items to mimic the feeling of latching onto a furry mother, as baby macaques do while growing up. Punch took a liking to an orangutan stuffed animal, and the rest was history.
Users have speculated why the other macaques might’ve considered Punch an outcast of sorts, and their speculations would check out. One X user explains that Punch has only been around humans for most of his early life; therefore, his scent is compromised. He is also unable to properly communicate using typical macaque speak, because his mother was not around to show him how. Amidst all the constant rejection Punch has faced from the other macaques in the habitat, he did eventually befriend a cuddly monkey to show him the ropes.
Punch is Changing the Way We See Rejection
As most viral animal moments start, one-off social media users began using Punch’s story as a metaphor for things happening in their own lives. They formed a connection between two different species and, in turn, closed the gap between “us” and “them.”
What has Punch taught us about life? Well, first and foremost: rejection is redirection. Punch hasn’t had it easy. Most of his early life was filled with maternal rejection and alienation. He was surrounded by humans trying their best to help, when he really needed another monkey to show him how to monkey around. Animals have an instinctual need to be close to their mothers, similar to humans. So, a baby monkey doesn’t know much about anything else. When his mother and the others rejected him again and again, he stuck by his stuffed orangutan’s side in hopes of better days. What did we learn? Better days do come, so long as you keep your head up.
The internet continues to rally behind the baby monkey with a heart of gold. Viral animal moments on the internet help us keep the faith and form connections with fellow animal-loving humans all across states, countries, and continents. In a world where current events have become increasingly grim and concerning, viral animal videos are a life vest in the deep, icy waters of today. If you take a stroll through the last decade or two, you’ll find that latching onto an adorable, viral animal isn’t new. It’s formulaic at this point.
‘Moo-Deng’ Et al.
Take the viral pygmy hippopotamus who went viral in late 2024, Moo-Deng, for example. If you weren’t living under a rock, you probably remember the little feisty hippo with a knack for snapping at zookeepers and spectators alike. When she wasn’t rolling around in the water and dousing herself in a coat of slime, she was posing for photos and videos like her life depended on it. Her virality was reminiscent of Pesto the penguin and the legacy viral animal, Grumpy Cat.
Moo-Deng’s virality sprung about during a tumultuous time in the campaign cycle for the next U.S. president-elect. Tensions were high, and people, young and old, needed a distraction from the seriousness in the news. What better vessel for Vaudeville-style hope than a slimy hippo who likes screaming? There are no better vessels. Pesto the penguin went viral in the same month of that year, speaking to the public’s need for communal laughs and heartfelt connection to little animals who don’t know what war and capitalism are. When you think about it, viral animal moments are one of the major historical markers of the 21st century.
Without them, all the bad stuff would just blend into one another. Thanks to awesome animals like Punch, Moo-Deng, Pesto, and Grumpy Cat, we have ways to filter out the noise of rough times.
Cute Animal Virality is Cope
21st-century folks shouldn’t have as much access to information as they already do. The internet gives us all the information we need (but also that we don’t need) as soon as the information’s out there, which means we’re notified of every awful thing happening on this floating rock. For better or worse, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing another headline that should make our hearts drop, but we’re just so used to it. So, we go back to our jobs as if nothing happened. The special thing about these viral animal moments, like the most recent Punch-the-monkey story? We’re reminded that, at the end of the day, there’s something good happening somewhere.
When you think about it, we’re a lot like Punch. We’re all trying to find our way, our place, and new friends to support us when we feel like we can’t support ourselves. We should take a page out of Punch’s playbook and be brave, for there are always brighter days on the horizon!
