If you\u2019ve spent any time on social media lately, chances are you\u2019ve seen a video of Punch, the adorable six-month-old orphaned macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. Abandoned by his mother months ago, Punch was given a stuffed orangutan by zookeepers that he carries everywhere; it’s kind of like his emotional support substitute mama.<\/p>\n
Overtime just shared another clip the internet can\u2019t stop talking about. In it, a zookeeper is feeding the macaque troop that accepted the baby monkey. When Punch spots him, he runs over and clings to him tightly, refusing to let go!<\/p>\n
It looks like Punch decided to make this zookeeper his new bestie<\/a>! Overtime<\/a> said in the caption that it’s the cutest thing ever, and we all agree. And everybody’s asking the same question: Where do we sign up for this guy’s job<\/a>?!<\/p>\n Commenters agreed and left some heartwarming comments. @tiffanybattle229 pointed out, “Punch doesn\u2019t care about food. He wants to be loved.” @Linacat51 added, “Not only do we protect Punch, but this zookeeper as well. If Punch trusts and loves him, so do we!”<\/p>\n @Stitcher got nearly 35,000 likes when they shared, “If I were the zookeeper, I would’ve kept on walking straight out to my car.”<\/p>\n Related: Baby Giraffe at the Sydney Zoo Has Decided His Keeper Is His New Bestie<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc36<\/a>SIGN UP to get \u201cpawsitivity\u201d delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends<\/strong><\/a>\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc3e<\/a><\/p>\n More About Punch the Baby Macaque’s Beloved Orangutan<\/p>\n NDTV<\/a> shared more about Punch’s story and his beloved orangutan.<\/p>\n “Punch was born in July 2025, but his mother abandoned him soon after birth.\u00a0His early attempts to fit in failed as other monkeys either ignored him or behaved violently.\u00a0He then formed a strong bond with a plush orangutan toy, dubbed “Ora-mama,” which has provided him comfort and security.”<\/p>\n The article continued, “This stuffed animal has relatively long hair and several easy places to hold. We thought that its resemblance to a baby monkey<\/a> might help Punch integrate back into the troop later on, and that’s why we chose it,” zookeeper Kosuke Shikano said.”<\/p>\n While we’re all invested in Punch’s future, it’s always a joy to see an animal in need find a forever home, and it certainly seems that Punch has finally found his!<\/p>\n This story was originally published by PetHelpful<\/a> on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News<\/a> section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n