• Orphan monkey “Punch” gradually letting go of his beloved doll

Punch, a young orphaned macaque at a Tokyo-area zoo, is slowly moving on from his cherished toy, which had comforted him since birth.

Once clinging to the doll after being rejected by his mother, Punch is now taking his first steps toward socializing with the other monkeys.

Visitors have spotted him climbing on peers, sitting near adult monkeys, and even receiving grooming or cuddles—signs he’s being accepted into the group.

Zoo staff raised Punch and gave him the doll to help him learn clinging skills, vital for young macaques. Kosuke Kanno, a zookeeper, said: “Our goal is to help Punch understand the monkey community and feel like one of them.”

Photos of Punch with his oversized toy went viral last month, prompting the zoo to set quiet viewing rules and limit visits to ten minutes to reduce stress.

Zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina called Punch’s gradual detachment from the doll a positive step toward independence—though he still sleeps with it nightly, staff hope he’ll soon join the other monkeys at bedtime.