Japanese monkey Punch celebrates first birthday
A Japanese macaque who became an internet sensation after finding comfort in an orangutan plush toy has celebrated his first birthday, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Punch turned one on July 26 at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture.
To mark the occasion, the zoo launched an exhibition featuring birthday cards and messages sent by his supporters. According to the zoo, more than 2,500 birthday messages were sent to Punch from around the world.
The response was so overwhelming that the zoo divided the display into two stages and extended the exhibition until August 30. The first collection of messages is on display from July 22 to August 9, while the second will be presented from August 11 to 30.
Visitors can also leave messages on a dedicated wall and watch videos documenting Punch’s development.
Punch was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth and was raised by zookeepers. He gained international attention after videos showed him clinging to a large orangutan plush toy, which had been given to him to help develop the gripping skills essential for newborn macaques.
He has since joined the zoo’s monkey enclosure and begun interacting with other macaques, gradually becoming less dependent on the toy.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that two U.S. nationals were fined 300,000 yen each for trespassing into Punch’s enclosure.