Have you seen the little monkey in the Japanese zoo? Punch the Macaque was born last July in Ichikawa zoo and the little monkey’s story has gone viral. 

Punch’s mother abandoned him.

I am no monkey expert (I am merely another Punch fan) but, apparently, she was an ‘inexperienced’ mother, it was a difficult birth and he was born during a heat wave. So his mother didn’t give him any attention. Punch remained in the enclosure with her and his extended family but he was ignored by all the monkeys. Sadly, when Punch approached them, they pushed him away, sometimes aggressively.

It was the zoo keepers who minded Punch and bottle fed him. When it was feeding time, little Punch jumped on their arms or legs, clinging to them in search of comfort and affection. From the videos, it’s clear the keepers are fond of Punch and concerned about him. Apparently, taking him out of the enclosure would mean he would be excluded forever, the aim of the keepers is to keep the monkeys together and encourage the adults to gradually accept the little monkey. Meanwhile though, they came up with a wonderful idea. 

They gave Punch a cuddly toy orangutan. This was the moment when Punch went viral. When you see little Punch dragging his orange teddy around with him, clinging to him, cuddling him, cleaning him, communicating with him… oh lords, it’s such a sweet and sad sight all rolled into one.

Visitors are pouring into the zoo to see Punch and his orange teddy friend. Newspaper articles are being written, photos taken, memes made, psychological opinions discussed and Punch merchandise is being manufactured (oh yes - T-shirts, mugs, key-rings and of course… more cuddly orangutans). 

There is something about an abandoned baby who keeps trying to make contact with his mother that tugs at our hearts. We believe that a mother’s love is supposed to be a pure and beautiful thing so it’s a punch (!) to the guts when we see a little creature rejected. Our hearts melt and we are rooting for little Punch. But why has this story gone global? (as I write, snow sculptures of Punch and his teddy pal are popping up in NY and elsewhere).

Is it because the world feels like it has gone mad with war so we desperately need to focus on one little monkey’s struggle? Is it because we see the hope within a creature to keep on trying to reconcile with his family? Is it because we all identify with needing a friend (even if that friend happens to be a stuffed toy orangutan)? Or is that family doesn’t have to be blood related… family are the ones who are there for us when we need them, who love us unconditionally?

As time goes on, some of the older monkeys are allowing Punch near them and there were celebrations when one of the monkeys and Punch were spotted grooming each other. But Punch's orangutan teddy is never far away. 

Truth is Moodscopers, we all need and deserve a friend and a little bit of tender loving care…  

Salt Water Mum x

A Moodscope member