Punch the orphaned macaque at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Japan has celebrated its first birthday surrounded by thousands of cards from global fans after being abandoned by its mother and raised with a stuffed toy orangutan. According to zoo officials, the young primate has received approximately 2,500 birthday cards from both inside and outside Japan as visitors flock to an indoor exhibit dedicated to the animal.
The Early Struggle and Zookeeper Intervention
Born at the zoo located east of Tokyo, Punch was abandoned by its mother shortly after birth, a circumstance zookeepers attribute to extreme exhaustion. Left alone in its enclosure, the newborn macaque faced bullying from other monkeys and was frequently seen wandering by itself. To aid its survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the infant and provided a stuffed toy orangutan to help the young monkey develop essential gripping abilities.
“As Punch was trying very hard, struggling to live each day, his two keepers did everything they could while other staff watched over him,” said Takashi Yasunaga, head of the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden, according to zoo statements reported by the Associated Press.
Global Fan Response and Visitor Impact
As Punch reached its first milestone, the zoo created a dedicated indoor exhibit featuring a video chronicling the animal’s early days, surrounded by walls covered in thousands of cards, letters, and messages sent by supporters worldwide.
Kumi Ishizawa, a resident of Kobe who visited the exhibit after recovering from an illness, stated that learning about Punch’s resilience on social media earlier in the year gave her a personal goal. “He moved me … I kept on telling myself that I’m going to get well and come visit to see Punch,” Ishizawa said. “And here I am, I made it. I’m very happy I could finally see him in person.”
Local residents have also embraced the milestone. Yeye Lights, a long-time Ichikawa resident who secured an annual visitor pass after hearing about the macaque from her daughter, noted, “I have a cake for Punch-kun, I’m celebrating with my friends.”