r/punchthemonkey

Video on 7/7

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credits to: @____nao.727

Video on 7/7

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credits to: @life_is_success

Video on 7/5

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So silly Punch is at the end.

YouTube short: Sara-coolYouTube short

Daddy photographing our gorgeous baby and Punch just posing his little tail off!

Video on 7/5

Credit: @Animal Days

credits to: @kirakiraorca625 (taken on 7/5)

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Video on 7/5

Credit: @panch-kun

Credit: @heyitspunch

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaaJSR4zYsO/

This is from a retired veterinarian from a different Japanese zoo, not Ichikawa.

Source in Japanese: https://note.com/isao4784/n/n76f5c5743db2

You can either use auto-translate on the original source or read chatgpt English version below. Feel free to comment if there's inaccurate translation. ETA: Formatting

Going to Meet Punch-kun, and Thinking About Zoos Through Punch-kun

ISAO / Veterinarian March 3, 2026

I went to Ichikawa Zoological & Botanical Garden to meet Punch-kun.

Punch-kun is a Japanese macaque who was hand-raised by keepers after being abandoned by his mother.

When I Hand-Raised Japanese Macaques

Years ago, when I worked at a zoo, I was making my morning rounds at the monkey mountain when I discovered a newborn Japanese macaque still attached to its umbilical cord, crying loudly. I contacted the primate keeper, and together the keepers, the zoo director, and I, as the veterinarian, discussed what to do. We decided to hand-raise the infant. The zoo director had to be involved because nighttime bottle-feeding and medical care would require overtime pay. Saving an animal costs money. I still remember the troubled expression on the director's face. I told him, "I'll do it even without overtime pay, so please let me." Looking back, that would be unimaginable today. But running a zoo means thinking about finances. Public zoos are funded by taxpayers, and overtime wages ultimately come from the public. At the time I thought, "The director is so stingy." Now I understand that simply wanting to save an animal isn't enough. There are many realities that have to be considered.

The very next day another crying newborn appeared. Once again the director, veterinarian, and keeper met, and we decided to hand-raise both infants together. Both were males. We raised them in an incubator in the veterinary hospital using human baby bottles and formula. Being young myself, I thought only about saving their lives. I never considered what would happen afterward. Because there were two of them, instead of clinging to an orangutan stuffed animal, they clung to each other. Although I wasn't being paid overtime, waking up in the middle of the night to feed them was enjoyable because seeing their happy little faces made it worthwhile. Later, the director found a way to pay me a small amount by classifying it as overnight duty instead of overtime. It was much cheaper that way.

Trying to Return Them to the Troop

When they were about six months old, we decided to return them to Monkey Mountain. Since none of us had any experience with this, we first introduced them while they remained inside a cage placed in the enclosure. At first the young monkeys gathered around the cage and watched from a distance. Then a young male began screaming loudly while kicking the cage. He climbed on top and stomped violently. Inside the cage, the two youngsters huddled together trembling with fear.

After several more introduction sessions, we decided to release them from the cage into the troop. Things seemed fine at first. But when a young male approached, the two monkeys clinging together let out terrified screams. Those cries triggered panic throughout the troop. Both youngsters were attacked repeatedly and seriously injured. We used water hoses to drive the other monkeys away, separated them from the troop, and hurriedly rescued them from Monkey Mountain. They spent quite some time recovering from their injuries in a dark room behind the scenes. After they healed, we tried again and again to return them to the troop. Every attempt ended with another attack. In the end, we were never able to return them. Eventually they were sold to an animal dealer. Back then, nobody knew where animal dealers ultimately sent the animals. I heard rumors they might be shipped to China. In truth, I never learned where they went. It's possible they even ended up at an animal testing facility.

What Makes Ichikawa Zoo So Remarkable

The remarkable thing about Ichikawa Zoological & Botanical Garden is that before Punch, they had already succeeded in returning another hand-raised Japanese macaque named Otome to her troop. Not only that—She later gave birth and successfully raised her own offspring. To me, based on my own experiences, that seemed absolutely impossible.

The dedication of the keepers is extraordinary.

I wish my younger self could have trained at Ichikawa Zoo. Punch, however, is a male. That may make things even more difficult than it was for Otome. Apparently he still experiences minor aggression from other monkeys, but he has avoided any serious injuries and seems to be doing well. I hope someday he becomes so fully accepted that he even fathers children within the troop.

About Hand-Raising Animals

Over the years I have hand-raised: Rabbits, Bats, Chimpanzees, Orangutans, Red pandas, Cattle, Horses, Dogs, Cats, Asian black bears, Japanese serow, Giraffes, Many other species.

The first challenge is always diarrhea. Because we use milk substitutes instead of natural mother's milk, adjusting the nutritional balance—especially fat content—is difficult. If the formula is even slightly too concentrated or too diluted, diarrhea develops almost immediately. Even animals of the same species often require different milk concentrations, feeding schedules, and amounts. For example, rabbits nurse only a few times a day in the wild, so their formula had to be much richer. Since many hand-raised infants never receive their mother's colostrum, their immune systems are weak. They frequently caught colds, and dried nasal discharge often made drinking milk difficult.

Although we could make them grow physically, we could never teach them the rules of being their own species. This is especially true for chimpanzees. Chimpanzees spend many years learning social rules from their troop. Since we humans don't know those rules ourselves, we couldn't teach them. A chimpanzee that doesn't know chimpanzee society cannot easily get along with other chimpanzees. Furthermore, chimpanzees that were abandoned by their own mothers often grow up to abandon their own offspring because they never learned maternal care. I once raised such a chimpanzee. When the animal reached about four years old, we began introductions to other chimpanzees. Having been raised by humans, the chimpanzee believed it was human. We first introduced it to an experienced, nurturing female. Neither accepted the other. Eventually they could at least occupy the same space. So we attempted to place the chimpanzee into the troop. The moment we did, an adult male bit it, fracturing its lower jaw. After surgery it recovered physically. But because an adult chimpanzee is too powerful to keep indefinitely in the hospital, it ended up living alone in a dark indoor bedroom because there were no other chimpanzees there. Only briefly in the evenings, after the other chimpanzees had returned indoors, could it go outside into the paddock. It took more than a full year before it could share the outdoor space with the others. Even then, it always sat apart from the group, sucking its fingers. Whenever it saw me, it reached through the bars asking to be held. Eventually this chimpanzee was also sold by an animal dealer and sent to China. Chimpanzees normally learn parenting by watching their mothers and other females within the troop. Hand-raised females almost always abandoned their own babies. Ironically, even without learning parenting, they still mated. To prevent an endless cycle of hand-rearing, we sometimes controlled reproduction in hand-raised females using contraceptive pills.

The Role of Zoos

Zoos originally began as royal collections displayed for people to admire. Today their stated purposes are: Species conservation, Scientific research, Education, Recreation. In reality, Japanese zoos do conduct conservation, research, and education, but recreation remains their primary role. Especially in regional zoos, there is often too little staff, too little funding, and inadequate facilities, making them primarily recreational attractions.

No animal chose to come to a zoo. Humans brought them there. They are kept for our enjoyment. Because of that, zoo professionals must always remember that the animals are, in a sense, the true "guests." Their responsibility is to provide those guests with the very best possible environment. In the past, zoos prioritized easy cleaning and clear viewing. Animals lived in barren concrete enclosures surrounded by iron bars. Imagine yourself living on concrete all day. I think I'd lose my sanity within a single day. Animals often developed stress behaviors: Constant body swaying, Endless pacing, Excessive grooming, Hair loss from over-licking. Then, beginning with places like Asahiyama Zoo, zoo professionals started transforming enclosures. They added soil. They planted trees. They studied animals' behavior in the wild and recreated environments that resembled their natural habitats.

The results were remarkable. Tree-dwelling animals climbed trees. Animals that loved water bathed and played. They became lively again. Their coats became healthier and shinier. Visitors could finally appreciate their natural beauty. Species that had previously been difficult to breed also began reproducing successfully.

This allowed zoos not only to showcase beautiful and fascinating animals, but also to teach visitors about the habitats where they live—and about how human activity is destroying those habitats and driving species toward extinction. Zoos became places of learning, not merely recreation.

Ichikawa Zoo also incorporates many welfare improvements throughout the grounds. There are elevated walkways for goats. The orangutan exhibit has three-dimensional rope systems that allow natural movement. The zoo director, who also serves as the manager, raises money through crowdfunding and other means to continually improve the zoo. One example of those efforts is the work being done to return Punch to his troop.

Designing the Red Panda Exhibit at Chausuyama Zoo

I worked together with the staff to design the red panda exhibit at Chausuyama Zoo in Nagano. Before designing the enclosure, we studied the species' habitat and behavior. We wanted to recreate their natural environment while minimizing stress and making daily management practical. However, the most important consideration was staying within budget. Research showed that red pandas dislike water. Instead of surrounding the exhibit with bars, we used a pond as a natural barrier. That allowed visitors to view the animals up close without visible cages while keeping construction costs low.

I love zoos.

Even after leaving zoo work, I still visit them often.

Some people say animals in zoos are pitiful. As a child, visiting zoos made me fall in love with animals.

That inspired me to become a veterinarian. Today, alongside my veterinary practice, I also participate in wildlife conservation.

I don't know whether zoos should ultimately continue to exist or disappear. But zoos that ignore animal welfare, make no effort to reduce stress, and keep animals in barren concrete cages simply for human convenience should disappear.

Zoos should strive to create environments that are even more comfortable than animals' natural habitats. I hope zoos become places where every animal looks happy—and where they truly are happy.

Ichikawa Zoological & Botanical Garden was incredibly crowded. The Japanese macaque exhibit, in particular, was packed with visitors. Unfortunately, what I was able to see this time wasn't Punch himself—it was only the orangutan stuffed animal.

Credit: @Tweety_R_25

He always have something in his mouth lol

Video on 7/4

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