The Guadalajara Zoo introduced Yuji, a tiny monkey just 38 days old who has gone viral on social media under the affectionate nickname 'Punch Tapatío'. Because he was rejected by his mother shortly after birth, the zoo's veterinary team has taken over his complete care. Currently, the little primate receives special care 24 hours a day and is fed a special formula to ensure his healthy development. To provide him with security and emotional support during his sleep hours, his caregivers have given him a stuffed animal, which Yuji constantly hugs, simulating the contact he would have with his mother in the wild. The zoo reports that the baby is stable and under constant observation. Who is the monkey Punch? Punch is a baby monkey who was abandoned by his mother and found emotional support in an IKEA stuffed animal. The video of the story spread on TikTok and other social networks and shows the primate clinging to a plush toy, which, according to the clip's description, he adopted as if it were his surrogate mother. The images were associated with terms like 'abandoned monkey', 'viral monkey Punch' and 'IKEA plush mom', positioning the case among animal welfare trends. The video shows how the monkey constantly hugs the plush toy, replicating typical attachment behaviors in young primates. The little monkey is at the Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Garden in Japan, where visitors have also formed long lines to see and meet the animal that has become a major attraction. Specialists in animal behavior have documented that primate infants deprived of maternal contact can form bonds with substitute objects. But there are no direct statements from experts in the cited video confirming the specific case of Punch. Information from Quadratín.
Guadalajara Zoo Introduces Viral Baby Monkey
A baby monkey named Yuji has gone viral after being rejected by his mother at birth. Zoo staff are providing 24-hour care and emotional support with a stuffed toy.
