On Sunday, July 26, the one-year-old male Japanese macaque known as Punch (often referred to as Panti in Russian media), whose fate has been followed worldwide, celebrated his first birthday.
According to media reports, the zoo in the city of Ichikawa, Japan, where Punch resides, announced that in honor of this milestone, the little one received 2,500 greeting cards from various countries. The zoo organized an exhibition of these messages for Punch.
The latest updates indicate that Punch no longer clings to his stuffed toy and has fully adapted to life among his peers. He has blended in with the monkey group so seamlessly that it is now difficult to distinguish him from the others.
Punch was born at the zoo, but his mother abandoned him almost immediately. The staff began caring for the infant and provided him with a stuffed orangutan toy, which he spent all his time with. The reason is that infant monkeys require contact with their mother: it provides a sense of security, helps develop muscles, and lays the foundation for emotional stability, and the toy served as a substitute. At six months old, Punch was placed in an enclosure with his peers, but they initially ignored him and even attacked him. Footage of Punch hugging his toy alone went viral online. Internet users from around the world began following updates on the little one’s life.
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