Overview
- New visitor videos and a zoo update indicate Punch has begun making friends, with reports of him being groomed by other monkeys and occasionally leaving his plush toy to play.
- Zoo officials maintain that a widely viewed Feb. 19 clip of an adult dragging Punch reflected normal disciplinary behavior within the troop and resulted in no serious injuries.
- Some social posts describe a larger monkey staying close to Punch as a protector, which observers note is consistent with typical conspecific monitoring rather than a formal zoo designation.
- The small Ichikawa City Zoo is managing surging crowds with time limits, quiet viewing rules, and a restricted perimeter to reduce stress on the macaques.
- IKEA donated replacement plush toys and reported a spike in demand for its DJUNGELSKOG orangutan, with sellouts in multiple markets and efforts underway to restock.