Japan zoo’s macaque Punch gets 2,500 cards for first birthday
What’s new: The orphaned monkey’s exhibit runs through Aug. 30 as crowds continue to visit the zoo near Tokyo.
Punch, the Japanese macaque that drew global attention for clinging to an orangutan plushie, received about 2,500 birthday cards for his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Chiba, east of Tokyo. Born July 26, 2025, Punch was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, and keepers used the toy to help him develop the gripping behavior baby macaques need. After months of special care, he joined about 50 other monkeys in January. Photos of Punch carrying and hugging the plushie spread online in February, bringing tens of thousands of visitors, with the zoo at one point limiting viewing time to 10 minutes.