Fans flock to Japan zoo to see viral baby monkey Punch

Ichikawa, Japan: Dozens of fans flocked to a Japanese zoo on Friday to catch a glimpse of a baby macaque who shot to social media stardom months after...

Ichikawa, Japan: Dozens of fans flocked to a Japanese zoo on Friday to catch a glimpse of a baby macaque who shot to social media stardom months after being abandoned by his mother.

Six-month-old Punch became an internet sensation after footage of him clinging forlornly to zookeepers and dragging around a stuffed orangutan toy were widely shared on X.

Punch's mother, perhaps due to it being her first litter or reduced stamina from the summer heat, showed no interest in caring for her young, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.

Punch's predicament sparked sympathy online, spawning a devoted Punch fanbase who began posting updates on the monkey under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.

Earlier this month, Punch's situation began looking up when zookeepers at Ichikawa City Zoo, near Tokyo, posted that he was gradually integrating with a troop of monkeys -- "playfully poking others and getting scolded".