Meet The 'Punch Papas' Kosuke Shikano And Shumpei Miyakoshi: The Zookeepers Who Are Slowly Getting Recognition As Punch The Monkey's Caretakers

Global attention surrounding a young Japanese macaque known as Punch has also highlighted two animal handlers at Ichikawa City Zoo. As videos of the infant macaque circulated widely on social media, viewers began identifying zookeepers Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi as the primary caretakers responsible for the animal's early survival.

The two staff members, often referred to online as the 'Punch Papas', work as animal keepers responsible for daily husbandry duties at the facility in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo. They were assigned to care for the macaque after it was abandoned by its mother shortly after birth. The facility confirmed that Punch was born in July 2025 but was rejected by the first-time mother immediately following delivery.

According to reporting from the Associated Press, maternal rejection can occur in captive primate populations. Following the birth, staff initiated a hand-rearing protocol that required continuous monitoring and feeding by animal care workers.

Caretakers Behind Punch's Survival

Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi were responsible for the daily care of the newborn macaque during the first stages of its life. Their work included bottle-feeding, maintaining body temperature and monitoring the infant's physical development during the weeks after birth.

Updates released by staff documented how the infant relied on a stuffed orangutan toy placed inside the enclosure. The object appeared in many of the videos shared online as caretakers worked to provide a stable environment during the early stages of development.

Because the infant was raised by humans, handlers also began preparing the macaque for eventual integration into the troop living at the facility. The enclosure known as 'Monkey Mountain' houses around 60 Japanese macaques.

Preparing Punch for Life in the Troop

Caretakers gradually introduced the infant macaque to other members of the group while maintaining supervision. Hand-raised primates must learn social behaviour and hierarchy cues before fully joining a troop.

The Ichikawa Zoo reported that controlled interactions were arranged between the young macaque and other animals in the enclosure. Some footage shared online showed older macaques displaying dominant behaviour during these encounters.

Staff said these interactions are part of normal macaque social behaviour. Young monkeys typically establish their position within the group hierarchy as they grow and interact with other animals. Recent updates indicated that the macaque has begun spending more time near younger members of the troop and is relying less on the stuffed toy used earlier in its development.

Recognition for the 'Punch Papas'

As Punch became widely known online, the work of Shikano and Miyakoshi also began appearing in photographs and videos released by the facility. The two handlers oversaw the hand-rearing process that began immediately after the infant's birth.

Their duties included feeding, monitoring behaviour and managing the early stages of social integration. The long-term objective is for the macaque to live independently within the troop without ongoing human assistance.

Punch continues to live at Ichikawa City Zoo as staff monitor the animal's development and interactions with the group. The caretakers remain part of the team overseeing the macaque's progress inside the enclosure as it adapts to life among the other monkeys.