Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:40am on 19 Feb 2026,Thursday International
At Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, an abandoned baby Japanese macaque named Punch captured hearts online for clinging to an orangutan plush toy after being rejected by his mother soon after birth. The touching video of him carrying the toy, dubbed “Ora-mama”, went viral and drew global sympathy as a symbol of emotional comfort. After months of hand-raising and careful social integration by zookeepers, Punch has begun bonding with other macaques, including mutual grooming and play—an important sign of acceptance into the troop. His story highlights animal emotional depth, compassionate care by zoo staff, and has encouraged crowds to visit the zoo.
