Punch the monkey has a new girlfriend named…
The web’s favourite monkey may need gotten his fairytale ending.
Punch — the child macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan that went viral for searching for consolation in a plush toy after his mom deserted him — has been noticed canoodling with another monkey at the zoo.
New social media posts show the well-known monkey kissing, cuddling and affectionately taking part in with a feminine macaque believed to be named Momo-chan, with many calling her Punch’s new girlfriend.
Punch clings to his stuffed orangutan toy at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images
In clips posted to social media, the duo was captured hanging out together — and Punch’s beloved stuffed animal even made a cameo.
Punch and Momo-chan’s new affair suggests that Punch’s time as a lonesome monkey may need finally ended.
“Punch found a girlfriend and you’re still single,” one individual quipped on X.
Another famous that Momo-chan appears to be a comparable coloration to the plush monkey Punch lovingly carried around.
Along with his new companion, some images and videos circulating online have shown that Punch has began to combine with the other monkeys in the zoo, clinging less to his toy mama.
Born in July 2025, Punch was rejected by his mom after beginning, and caretakers at the zoo stepped in to hand-raise him — but his fellow monkeys weren’t as variety at first.
They moved Punch into the enclosure with other monkeys and seen that he was ostracized and struggling to combine. Heartbreaking videos online have shown some of the other monkeys pushing Punch away when he tried to work together.
However, Ichikawa City Zoo insisted that while Punch might have been ostracized by his fellow monkeys, he was never outright bullied. Instead, the conduct represented a “strict hierarchical society” where “dominant individuals show ‘disciplining actions’ toward their subordinates.”
Punch is beginning to outgrow his plush toy. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images
“Although Punch has been scolded many times by other monkeys, no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him,” the zoo said in a assertion launched on X.
“When you observe these disciplinary behaviors from other troop members toward Punch when he tries to communicate with them, [the zoo] would like you to support Punch’s effort rather than feel sorry for him.”
Though they did acknowledge the public concern, including that they “share your concerns about Punch, and all the zookeepers and staff will continue to work together to ensure that Punch can continue to live a healthy life as part of this troop of monkeys.”
People have said Mono-chan is Punch’s new girlfriend. @ikaaa1805 / TikTok
It’s common for monkeys to cling to their mothers after beginning, but without a mother around, caretakers gave him a stuffed orangutan to help ease his anxiety and loneliness.
Punch has not often been seen without his stuffed orangutan, treating the plushie like a mom and utilizing it for consolation — though he’s now beginning to outgrow it, which is a good signal.
“When he grows out of the plush toy that encourages his independence, and that’s what we are hoping for,” zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina said.
Punch has not often been seen without his stuffed orangutan, treating the plushie like a mom and utilizing it for consolation. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images
The stuffed orangutan is IKEA’s widespread DJUNGELSKOG mushy toy — and the description notes that the plushie can hold on your hip or back, “just like how real apes climb and hang in the rainforest trees.”
After going viral, Petra Fare, President and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA Japan, visited Ichikawa City Zoo on Feb. 17 to donate a number of replacements as effectively as new plush toys.
Anyone can get their arms on one of these plushies — though it did shortly promote out once people caught wind of it.
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