The Mournful Ballad Of Punch The Monkey | Defector

"In environments where survival is threatened from outside stress, mothers may prioritize their own health and future reproduction rather than continue to care for an infant whose health may be compromised by those environmental conditions. This explains why Punch's mother abandoned him during the heat wave."

"Baby Japanese macaques cling to their mothers after birth, both to build muscle strength and to feel a sense of security. But Punch, left alone, had no one to hold. After the keepers attempted to give him several towels, they offered him the Djungelskog, which had the added benefit of looking like a monkey. Punch immediately attached."

Punch, a Japanese macaque born in July at Ichikawa City Zoo, was abandoned by his first-time mother during a heat wave-induced stressful labor. Primatologists explain that mothers under environmental stress may prioritize their own survival over caring for potentially compromised infants. Baby macaques naturally cling to their mothers for physical strength development and emotional security. Without maternal care, Punch required an attachment object. Zoo keepers provided him with a Djungelskog IKEA stuffed orangutan toy, which resembled a primate and provided the comfort and security he needed, leading to his immediate emotional attachment to the toy.

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