Punch, the little monkey who was abandoned by his mother, appears to have been accepted by his troop of monkeys in Japan.
Heartbreaking photos of the little macaque clinging onto an Ikea stuffed monkey toy for company went viral last week.
Born in July last year, Punch has been raised by zookeepers at Ichikawa City Zoo since birth, hand feeding and caring for him.
But because young macaques cling to their mums from the time they’re born, staff had to intervene and offer other objects for Punch to cuddle.
Punch has had a rough start to life, with footage of other monkeys in his enclosure bullying him and dragging him around.
Each time, he ran back to his beloved orange plush, clinging to it for safety and comfort.
It appears the tide might be turning for little Punch, though, after one adult monkey named Onsing hugged him tightly.
Onsing also helped Punch climb up a rocky part of the enclosure, which the little macaque seemed very grateful for.
When a loud noise came from the other side of the enclosure, Punch cuddled up to his new friend for protection.
He’s still facing some bullying from other members of his troop, but the zoo has said Punch is showing great progress.
‘While Punch is scolded, he shows mental strength and resilience,’ they said.
In Japan, the hashtag ‘HangInTherePunch’ began to trend as images of the little guy circulate.
Zookeper Kosuke Shikano, 24, told Mainichi: ‘The stuffed animal was a surrogate mother to him.’
Punch, born last July, has become an internet sensation, with the adorable photos of him dragging his little stuffed animal going viral online.
Primatology expert Alison Behie told the Guardian he was likely abandoned by his mum due to inexperience.
‘Zookeepers also suggest Punch was born during a heatwave, which would be a high-stress environment,’ she said.
‘In environments where survival is threatened by outside stress, mothers may prioritise their own health and future reproduction rather than continue to care for an infant whose health may be compromised by those environmental conditions.’
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