A sweet baby monkey, who found comfort in an orangutan toy after his mother abandoned him, was finally welcomed into a family of monkeys inside his zoo.
Punch, a six-month-old macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, became an internet sensation after videos showed the lonely little primate finding comfort and companionship in his stuffed toy.
After being constantly rejected by the other macaques, Punch finally found a forever friend named Onsing.
The baby’s bumpy ride is finally over, as social media videos on Friday showed the adult troop member wrapping him in a tight embrace.
One video showed the pair in their concrete enclosure, with Punch completely wrapped in Onsing’s arms as they climbed the rock wall together.
Onsing followed closely, grabbing Punch’s side to help hoist him up the incline.
The adult monkey never left his side. In the video, the chain fences clanged, startling Punch, who nuzzled into his new bodyguard for comfort.
Another adorable video showed two monkeys resting against the stone wall, with Onsing on the left sitting next to another adult, holding little Punch close.
Six-month-old Punch the monkey, he was finally accepted into the troop. His new ‘bodyguard,; Onsinger’ is seen hugging him
The two are practically inseparable, with Onsinger even helping Punch climb up the rocky incline
Onsinger sitting to the left of another adult macaque, he is gripping Punch in a comforting tight embrace
The sweet pair is seen rocking back-and-forth slightly, in a comforting snuggle of love.
Punch initially melted hearts worldwide when footage of him clinging forlornly to zookeepers and his stuffed orangutan toy was shared.
Because infant monkeys instinctively cling to their mothers from birth and he was rejected from his mother, staff offered Punch blankets and soft toys to ease his anxiety.
He quickly chose the plush orangutan and has barely let go since.
Viral videos showed Punch hugging the toy as he sleeps, wrapping his arms around it and burying his face into the fabric.
In other clips, he can be seen clutching it protectively while cautiously approaching other young macaques.
The baby monkey was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop last month.
But videos circulated showing Punch being bullied by other monkeys at the zoo, with one adult scolding and dragging him.
Other clips show Punch clinging tightly to the stuffed orangutan for comfort, as he used the stuffed today for companionship
The baby monkey became an internet sensation, and has attracted hundreds of visitors to the Ichikawa City Zoo, in Ichikawa Japan
Punch drags a stuffed orangutan across the enclosure, he struggled to jive with the troop, but now has found a forever friend
The zoo issued a statement asking fans to ‘support Punch’s efforts’ to socialize, noting that his troop has not shown any serious aggression.
‘While Punch is scolded [by other monkeys], he shows mental strength and resilience,’ it said.
The trending hashtag #HangInTherePunch exploded, drawing hundreds of visitors to the zoo.
More than 100 visitors have gathered around the zoo’s monkey enclosure, straining to take photos and shouting ‘hang in there!’ as Punch tried to approach others in the troop.
Now Punch has a fairy-tale ending with a forever friend by his side, letting fans breathe a sigh of relief for the once-lonely little macaque.
