Melvin Durai
During the Winter Olympics, while Americans were cheering for Americans, Norwegians were cheering for Norwegians, and Germans were cheering for Germans, people of all nationalities were cheering for a little monkey named Punch. The 7-month-old macaque monkey was having trouble making friends with his fellow monkeys at Ichikawa City Zoo, outside Tokyo. Abandoned by his mother, he was nursed by zookeepers before they returned him to his troop in the monkey enclosure. But Punch had trouble integrating with the troop. His plight was captured in a series of videos that went viral and made Punch an internet celebrity.
One video showed Punch being dragged around by an adult monkey before seeking comfort in the arms of the only creature that was always around to love him: a stuffed orangutan toy. The youngster’s struggle to fit into monkey society tugged at the heartstrings of millions of people around the world, some eager to take the next flight to Tokyo to rescue him. As one woman wrote on X, “I’ve had enough.
My mission in life now is to rescue Punch from the horrible monkeys he’s with and make him my baby. He is going to be my baby, and I am going to take care of him and love him.” But Punch did not need to be rescued. As the videos showed, Punch was gradually making it in the monkey world. The zoo released a statement on Punch’s welfare, explaining that he had been dragged by the adult monkey after trying to communicate with another baby monkey. “The adult monkey that dragged Punch is probably the mother of the monkey with whom Punch tried to communicate,” the zoo stated. “She probably felt that her baby was annoyed by Punch and got upset, expressing ‘don’t be mean.’” Although Punch has been scolded many times by adult monkeys, none have shown “serious aggression” toward him, the zoo said. “While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength.” In an effort to allay the concerns of people around the world, the zoo allowed me to conduct a 15-minute Zoom interview with Punch using an AI-powered tool called MTT (monkey talk translated). Me: “Punch, do you realise what a celebrity you have become?” Punch: “I did not realise it — until L’Oréal asked me if I wanted to endorse their shampoo. They were going to create a special online store called L’Oréal Punch.” Me: “Did you accept the deal?” Punch: “No. It’s against zoo rules. There’s a sign that says, ‘No monkey business.’” Me: “I hope this question isn’t too personal. Is it true that your mother abandoned you?” Punch: “She didn’t abandon me. She gave me to the world. She said, ‘Punch, you belong to everyone now.’” Me: “When she said ‘everyone,’ did she mean the other monkeys, or was she including the non-monkeys too?” Punch: “She was including the other creatures that come to watch us and learn from us.” Me: “What do you think they can learn from monkeys?” Punch: “They can learn what I am learning — how to get along with others in society. You have to be resilient. One monkey may drag you around, but another monkey will lift you up. The monkey that dragged you around will show up the next day to scratch your back.” Me: “You are getting a lot of attention these days. The zoo is packed with visitors eager to see you. How do you feel about that?” Punch: “It’s okay — as long as they respect my nap time. No autographs from 1 to 2 p.m.”