...
By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
IKEA has donated a collection of stuffed animals to Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan in a show of support for Punch, a baby macaque monkey whose attachment to a plush orangutan—believed to be IKEA's own Djungelskog—went viral.
On February 17, Ichikawa City Mayor Ko Tanaka shared a photo on X alongside IKEA Japan President Petra Färe, surrounded by a trove of IKEA stuffed animals intended for Punch and other animals at the zoo.
Who Is Punch the Lonely Monkey?
Punch, also known as Panchi-kun, is a baby macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
Read More on News
He was born at the zoo on July 26, 2025, but was abandoned by his mother, who lacked interest in raising him. Zoo officials then gave Punch a toy orangutan after he started to show signs of anxiety and isolation.
He has begun to treat this plushie as a surrogate mother, keeping it close to him inside his enclosure. The relationship between the monkey and the plushie has catapulted Punch to online fame, as footage of the two together has captured people’s hearts.
And, in a trend reminiscent of the Moo Deng effect, the zoo has started to see a surge in visitors thanks to Punch’s popularity.
What To Know
IKEA's involvement in Punch's story goes beyond a simple donation.
The furniture giant's global social media accounts have leaned heavily into the moment, with IKEA Spain posting an edited image of the Djungelskog hugging Punch on X, and IKEA Switzerland's Instagram featuring the retailer's Sandlöpare stuffed chimpanzee holding the orangutan toy.
The outpouring of corporate support was made official when Tanaka shared a photo on X alongside Färe, the two posing with a trove of IKEA stuffed animals set to be distributed to Punch and other animals at the zoo.
In a recent viral video shared to X, Punch was seen being dragged around in circle by a much larger, adult monkey. Punch later fled to safety, grabbing his plushie orangutan and hid with it behind a rock.
The stuffed orangutan at the center of Punch's story — IKEA's Djungelskog — is available for $20 at IKEA stores and on the retailer's website.
What People Are Saying
Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture on X: "IKEA Japan Co., Ltd. has donated familiar stuffed toys and other items that Nihon Zaru "Punch" from our city's zoo carries around with him. I hope the received stuffed toys will also serve as emotional support, helping him gradually blend into the group bit by bit. Let's continue cheering for him together from here on out too."
Former state Representative Mandy Powers Norrell, a South Carolina Democrat, on X: "Ichikawa Zoo, y’all better do better with your monkey habitat. We see you."
Ichikawa Zoo's latest Punch update: "Keeper: “Today in the evening, there was a scene where Punch got scolded by the other monkeys in the troop, but there were no injuries in particular. Punch is full of energy, so please don’t worry!”
...
What Happens Next
Zoo officials are encouraging fans to reframe their concern for Punch—viewing his interactions with troop members, even difficult ones, as important steps in his social development rather than causes for alarm.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines