Punch the monkey has become a viral internet sensation and won people’s hearts after a video showed the orphan Japanese macaque struggle to settle in the zoo. The clip had shown Punch relying on his plushie after initially failing to gain acceptance among other monkeys in the enclosure. The abandoned monkey was being bullied, and almost the entire world ended up supporting and cheering Punch on.
The single moment touched a cord with many and Punch became an instant favorite. Since then, people have been following regular updates on Punch which include him making a new friend and finding someone to look after him in the zoo. However, now a claim has gone viral that Punch is dead.
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“Punch the monkey found dead in Atlanta,” a page going by HFR Podcast wrote on X. The post has been viewed about 2.2 million times at the time of writing.
Shared with a black and white image of Punch and his toy, the post quickly went viral and elicited strong reactions.
One person pleaded ‘tell me it’s not true’. Another added “This cannot be…pls somebody tell me it’s not true, happened to him???” Yet another person asked “is this valid?”.
Punch the monkey dead? Fact check
Despite the post going viral and garnering many reactions, Punch the monkey is not dead. He is very much alive.
HFR Podcast mentions on its page bio “Follow for PARODY Rap News, Everything Fake. NOT affiliated with NFR Podcast.” Thus the post is a parody. Grok still fact-checked the matter and wrote “It’s not true! That’s a parody account—everything they post is fake. Punch the baby monkey is alive and viral in Japan, still hugging his IKEA plushie at the zoo.”
Some users were quick enough to spot that the news was not true with one saying “Wait it’s fake post punch is in Ichikawa city he is not in Atlanta.”
Meanwhile, Punch’s zoo has provided an update.
Update on Punch from zoo
Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden was responding to concerns about the health of its Japanese macaques, which includes Punch.
On X, they wrote “A lot of visitors are currently coming to the zoo to see baby monkey, Punch,” the statement began, noting that many have asked about the health of Punch and his fellow macaques.”
Authorities noted that ‘monkey welfare’ remained their top priority. They also noted they had four back rooms, which were open at all times and used by Punch as a retreat. “Many of the trees provided for environmental enrichment have become excellent play tools, especially for the young monkeys, including Punch. We are always seeking the best ways to improve the environment,” they remarked.