Why Did Punch the Monkey's Mother Reject Him? A Look at the Strange Phenomenon That's More Common Than We Think

It is a sight that has broken hearts across the internet: a small Japanese macaque named Punch, clinging tightly to a bright orange plush toy. For months, this stuffed orangutan was his only friend. Born in July 2025 at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, Punch, or Panchi-kun as he is known locally, was not raised by his own mother. Instead, he was abandoned shortly after birth and had to be raised by zoo staff.

His reliance on the toy for comfort turned him into an online sensation. Videos of the small monkey sleeping with the plushie or carrying it around his enclosure have gained millions of views. However, behind the adorable images lies a harsher reality of the animal kingdom. Maternal rejection and infant abuse are difficult topics, yet they are natural phenomena observed by scientists for decades. While the internet rallies to protect Punch, his story offers a window into the complex psychology of primates.

The Viral Story of Punch the Macaque

In January, Punch appeared to be an outcast. The zoo explained in a social media post that the macaque was 'rescued from being abandoned and raised through hand-rearing.' This isolation struck a chord with the public. On the social media platform X, fans began using the hashtag #HangInTherePunch to show support.

Understanding Primate Maternal Rejection

His mother's behaviour is not unique to his species. Infant abuse and neglect are not phenomena found only in humans. Research shows that in monkeys and apes, some mothers occasionally act violently toward their young, while others, like Punch's mother, abandon them entirely.

Scientists distinguish between mothers who abuse and those who neglect or abandon their babies. Neglectful mothers are typically young females who abandon only one of their offspring, usually their firstborn. This suggests that inexperience plays a major role in abandonment. If a mother does not know how to care for her first infant, she may leave it.

In contrast, abuse tends to run in families. The study found that abuse was concentrated among closely related individuals, such as mothers, daughters, and sisters. If a female macaque was abused as an infant, she was likely to become an abusive mother herself. These mothers were often very consistent, repeating the abusive behaviour with future babies. This suggests that trauma can be passed down through generations along the maternal line.

Stress and Emotional Regulation Factors

One might assume that mothers who reject or abuse their infants have hormonal imbalances, but the research suggests otherwise. The study found that abusive rhesus macaque mothers had the same levels of estrogen and progesterone as non-abusive mothers. These hormones regulate maternal instincts, meaning the mothers did not lack the biological motivation to be mums.

Instead, the issue appears to be psychological. Abusive mothers scored higher on measures of maternal protectiveness and rejection. They were more controlling, often restricting their infant's movements. In pigtail macaques, abuse was often triggered by social stress, such as fights within the group. The researchers concluded that these mothers likely have problems with emotion regulation, making them more vulnerable to stress, a trait possibly caused by their own early trauma.

A Hopeful Future for Punch

On 6 February, the zoo posted an update stating, 'Punch is gradually deepening his interactions with the troop of monkeys! He's getting groomed, playfully poking at others, getting scolded, and having all sorts of experiences every day, steadily learning how to live as a monkey within the troop!'

By Thursday, the zoo confirmed that the number of individuals Punch interacts with is increasing. While his mother may have rejected him, likely due to the complex biological and social factors that affect primates, Punch is finding a new family among his troop and his millions of human supporters worldwide.