Punch the monkey has now gone from loneliness to love, as the viral baby macaque was seen lighting a new flame in his zoo home.
An orphaned monkey has melted hearts around the world after clinging to a plush toy when his mother abandoned him.
But he has since been caught kissing, cuddling and playing with a female macaque, called Momo-chan.
Clips shared online show the pair canoodling, chasing each other and hanging out together, with Punch’s trusty stuffed orangutan also making a cameo.
Fans are calling Momo-chan his new girlfriend, and believe that the once lonely monkey has finally found some company.
One person quipped at X: “Punch got a girlfriend and you’re still single.”
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Another pointed out that Momo-chan even in color resembles the plush toy Punch which is renowned for its comfort.
Punch, born last July at Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo, was rejected by his mother at birth and hand-raised by keepers.
He quickly became a global sensation after a heartbreaking video showed him clinging to a soft toy for comfort.
When Punch tried to mix with other monkeys, he too was pushed away.
Even football stars like former Manchester United striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez got emotional after watching the viral Punch Monkey video.
also 37 years old Posted online to present your views on Punch.
Hernandez was seen overcome with emotion as she scrolled through the video, captioning: “Why are you crying? It’s just a monkey…”
He wrote: “Punch Monkey impressed us because he is strong and he is real.
“He tries to defend himself without fully knowing, and we’ve all done that at one time or another.
“There is no malice in him, only emotion, innocence and the will to exist.
“He teaches us that: you can feel deeply without living in complaint (…).”
But now, things seem to be looking up.
Recent footage shows Punch starting to mingle with the army, sitting among adults, riding and even getting groomed.
He is reportedly also less trusting of his toy “mom.”
Zoo owners say that despite the difficult scenes that went viral, Punch was never harassed.
The zoo said in a statement: “Although Punch has been scolded several times by other monkeys, none of the monkeys have shown serious aggression toward him.”
He explained that this behavior is part of a “strictly hierarchical society” where “dominant individuals show ‘disciplinary action’ towards their subordinates.”
“When you see these disciplinary behaviors from other military members toward Punch when he tries to communicate with them, (the zoo) would like you to support Punch’s effort rather than feeling sorry for him.”
Keepers say Punch’s growth from his beloved plush orangutan toy from Ikea is a positive sign.
“The plush toy will encourage his independence as he grows up, and that’s what we’re hoping for,” said zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina.
