Here’s Where To Get Punch The Monkey’s Viral Orangutan Plushie

Something small, cute, and furry has stolen everyone’s hearts – and no, it’s not another iteration of Labubu (thank goodness that’s over). Despite us having just entered the Year of the Horse – which Tom Felton aka Draco Malfoy found himself becoming an accidental icon of –  the internet’s latest obsession is a little monkey. You’d have seen videos of Punch, the baby Japanese macaque, making its rounds on your social media feeds by now. You might even have shed a tear or two over his story.

Also capturing the attention of everyone is the orangutan plushie that Punch has been carrying around everywhere, a comfort toy that the zookeepers gave him after he was rejected by his mother and other primates in the group. This very plushie has also gone viral, and we bet some of you are also looking for a comfort monkey of your own. But before we dish the deets on where to get Punch’s monkey plushie in Singapore, here’s a little background on the star of the show himself.

PUNCH THE MONKEY: HIS STORY, WHERE TO VISIT HIM, AND HIS IKEA MONKEY PLUSHIE

Who is Punch the monkey and why is he so famous?

Punch (Panchi-kun) is a baby Japanese macaque, or snow monkey, born in Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo. Unfortunately, he was rejected by his mother at birth, and the keepers had to hand-raise him, with initial integration efforts being poorly received by the rest of the monkey troop. A heartwrenching video showed Punch being dragged and chased around by larger monkeys, and the Ikea orangutan plushie was his only form of solace. Poor baby! 

Wherever Punch went, his plushie followed. He clutched onto it like how a baby monkey would its mother; slept on it; and even pulled it along when climbing around and navigating rocky terrain – and needless to say this hit us right in the feels.

But all’s well that ends well. Over the past few days, Punch has been seen having positive social interactions with the other monkeys, and it looks like he’s slowly gaining their acceptance. In fact, Punch was even seen grooming his plushie together with a friend. Oh, our hearts.

Which zoo is Punch the monkey located at?

You can visit Punch at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba, Japan, and it’s possible to do so on a day trip from Tokyo. Travelling there via public transport from Shinjuku station in central Tokyo will take roughly 1.5 hours. Entry is priced at just JPY440 (~S$3.56) per adult, but be prepared for crowds and queues due to Punch’s soaring popularity.

Does Punch the monkey have Instagram or other social media accounts?

Punch does not have his own social media accounts, BUT here’s where you can stay updated on his shenanigans and daily life:

• @ichikawa_zoo on Instagram and X – official SNS of Ichikawa Zoo. The X account is more frequently updated.

• @punchmonkeyofficial on Instagram – one of the most followed fan accounts

• @tacotocco on Instagram – a Japanese retiree who’s an animal enthusiast. While her posts are mainly centred around bears (pandas especially), she’s been religiously posting daily updates on Punch as of late.

Get Punch’s Ikea monkey plushie in Singapore

Punch’s plushie bestie is the 36cm Djungelskog orangutan soft toy ($19.90) from Ikea. It’s currently sold out, but knowing Ikea, they’ll probably do a restock in a hot minute, so keep checking back for updates.

Not all is lost. As an alternative, check out the mini version of the Djungelskog orangutan soft toy, which retails at Ikea Singapore for just $2.90 – that’s cheaper than a fast food meal. With its more compact size of 20cm, it’ll be easier to tote around or have as a desk buddy – the perfect emotional support stuffie to turn to when things get stressful at school or work.

For more monkey madness, it’s also worth checking out the Sandlopare vervet monkey soft toy ($29.90), a mother-child duo of a different monkey species. Aww.