Emily Smith
Punch the monkey rose to fame after being abandoned by its mother and left only with a stuffed toy orangutan for comfort.
The orphaned macaque was bullied by other monkeys at Ichikawa City Zoo, near Tokyo, and would often be seen wandering its enclosure alone.
But as Punch turns one on Sunday, the monkey is surrounded by new friends and has been inundated with thousands of birthday cards from fans around the world.
Many of the cards and other messages fill the walls at an indoor Punch exhibit, where visitors can watch a video chronicling the animal’s early days.
It is believed Punch was abandoned by its mother because of exhaustion. Zookeepers nursed the monkey and gave it the toy to develop its gripping ability – something newborn macaques need to survive.
“As Punch was trying very hard, struggling to live each day, his two keepers did everything they could while other staff watched over him,” the head of the zoo, Takashi Yasunaga, said.
Punch still attracted big crowds, and had received some 2500 birthday cards from inside and outside Japan, Yasunaga added.
Kumi Ishizawa, a Kobe resident who was at the exhibit, said she learnt of Punch’s story from social media earlier this year. From then on, overcoming her illness to see the monkey became her goal.
“He moved me … I kept on telling myself that I’m going to get well and come visit to see Punch,” said Ishizawa, who has recovered and visited the zoo after a business trip.
“And here I am, I made it. I’m very happy I could finally see him in person.”
Yeye Lights, a long-time Ichikawa resident, had never visited the zoo until her daughter told her about Punch, and now has an annual visitor pass.
“I have a cake for Punch-kun, I’m celebrating with my friends,” Lights said, using an affectionate Japanese honorific for boys.
The Telegraph, London
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