Baby macaque Punch from Ichikawa City Zoo goes viral hugging IKEA orangutan plushie, sparking sellouts and primate welfare debate.

Legions of fans from around the world have been cheering on Punch, a 7-month-old macaque who had been struggling to socialize at a zoo outside Tokyo.

They’re currently unavailable for delivery from the Ikea website and some are now selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Punch was born July 26, 2025 but was hand-reared by zookeepers and only reintroduced to his group earlier this month.

Punch-kun baby macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo bonds with an IKEA plush after being rejected at birth, as keepers guide him into the troop.