Finding Friendship: Punch monkeys around with new pal, 'Aiko', who also survived being ostracized by her fellow Japanese macaques

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Mar 5, 2026 9:00 AM EST

The Punch the monkey saga continues as our fuzzy friend attempts to make friends after being ostracized by his mom and the other adult monkeys. But Punch has been persistent, and seems to have finally made a friend in Aiko.

We're back with an update from our favorite baby monkey, Punch. Our little guy has really been through it in his brief time on Earth, but more than anything else, he's shown us how resilient we can be. First, he was abandoned by his mother. Then, the other monkeys were aggressive towards him because of his status. Shortly after, he rose to be the internet's most talked-about primate, causing thousands of people to visit him in his enclosure every day.

Every day, despite facing constant rejection from his fellow monkeys, Punch tries to interact with them and make friends. Even after he's pushed and shoved away, quickly retreating back to his orange plushie mom that he's adorably attached to, he collects himself, builds up his courage, and tries again. We could learn a thing or two from him about not giving up.

But it's not all sad. We have news that Punch is actually making friends! A fellow fuzzy friend, Aiko, was also picked on by the monkeys in their enclosure when she was young, has taken a liking to Punch, and the two can be seen sharing a stick in the video below. Maybe their souls recognize the pain in the other, maybe she remembers the sadness of being treated unkindly, or maybe, she thinks he's cute. Either way, Punch's life is looking up, and that's quite pawssibly the best news we've heard all week.

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Well, we're pretty sure the zookeepers have detailed knowledge of the lives of their monkeys! We did some research, and apparently, it's not uncommon for first-time mothers to abandon their babies, just like Punch's mom did to him. Once they're shunned by their mother, they're likely to be shunned by all the other mothers in the group, which then spreads through the clan. So, if it's not so uncommon for monkeys to be rejected, they must know the ones that are and remember them.
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If you don't remember Harambe's story, here's a short synopsis: Harambe was a 17-year-old western lowland gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden whose life was ended in 2016 after a child climbed into his enclosure. The incident sparked global controversy. Zoo safety and animal welfare became a hot topic, and eventually turned Harambe into the internet meme and cultural symbol we know him as today.
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