Baby macaque Punch boosts zoo attendance in Japan
The popularity of a Japanese macaque named Punch has led to a sharp increase in the number of visitors to the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Park, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to the zoo’s director Takashi Yasunaga, attendance has been rising rapidly since February, after the first videos of Punch were posted on social media platform X. While around 20,000 people visited the park in February last year, the figure reached 47,000 this year. In March, attendance surged from 24,000 to 90,000 visitors.
Additional interest in the story was sparked by an initiative from the Moscow Zoo, which sent Punch a soft toy along with a letter from a sea hare named Max. The message expressed support and encouragement, wishing the baby macaque would not feel alone. The gift was officially received by the Japanese zoo’s management.
According to the administration, the total number of visitors for the 2025–2026 fiscal year reached 348,885 people, exceeding the previous year’s figure by more than 100,000 and setting a record since the park opened in 1987.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Punch became globally known thanks to touching videos in which he carries a plush toy everywhere, treating it as a substitute for his mother. After being introduced to the troop, the baby macaque has been trying to adapt among other monkeys, but in difficult moments returns to his “toy mother,” which has resonated widely with online audiences.
