Just look at him. He’s so precious. 
Meet Punch, a young Japanese macaque whose story has quietly touched millions around the world.
When Punch was born, his mother refused to hold him or feed him, leaving him completely alone.
Punch was left without the comfort and protection that baby monkeys depend on for survival. Like human infants, young macaques form deep emotional bonds through touch, warmth, and constant physical closeness with their mothers. Losing that connection can cause intense stress and loneliness.
But Punch found comfort in an unexpected way.
They gave him a stuffed monkey to abate his anxiety and since that, Punch hasn’t let the stuffed toy go.
Observers noticed that he began carrying a small plush toy everywhere he went. He hugs it while resting, sleeps beside it, and rarely lets it out of his grasp. The soft toy became his source of emotional security — a substitute for the nurturing contact he [lo.st].
As Punch got a little older, the zoo carefully reintroduced Punch to a small group of macaques, but Punch was [te.rr.ifi.ed]. He seemed to be an [o.ut.ca.st] that other monkeys stayed away from, but he still had his stuffed monkey, keeping it by his side at all times.
Scientists call this surrogate attachment behavior, something well documented in primates. When young monkeys are orphaned or separated, they often cling to soft objects that mimic the feeling of maternal presence. The behavior mirrors what psychologists see in human children who rely on blankets or stuffed animals for reassurance.
But according to recent updates from the zoo, Punch has begun bonding with another monkey and the breakthrough came in the form of grooming. In primate communities, grooming is no small gesture. It is a language of trust, acceptance, and social glue. To be groomed is to be welcomed.
Thanks to that, the other monkeys started playing with him. 
Punch’s story is a powerful reminder that emotions like attachment, comfort, and [gr.ief] are not uniquely human. Across species, the need for love and safety runs deeply through the animal world.
Sometimes, survival isn’t just about food or shelter — it’s about feeling safe enough to sleep.
That adoptive momma deserves the Nobel Peace Prize… bringing relief to so many hearts!
