Viral Punch monkey bullying videos addressed in new zoo statement

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Ichikawa City Zoo has responded to videos circulating online that seem to show Punch, one of their monkeys, being harassed by others in his group.

The zoo released a statement following online worries sparked by videos shared on social media. They explained that Punch, a macaque monkey, is simply experiencing typical social interactions with others, and is not being mistreated.

On March 10th, Ichikawa City Zoo requested that people rethink their understanding of the interactions, clarifying that none of the monkeys have displayed significant aggression towards the individual in question.

Punch’s zoo gives latest update

Instead of feeling bad for Punch when others in the troop don’t respond to his attempts to connect, please help him try to communicate. We want you to encourage his efforts, not pity him.

I’ve been watching the videos of the monkeys, and the zoo says it’s all about how macaque societies work. Basically, there’s a clear pecking order, and the more dominant monkeys will sometimes ‘discipline’ the younger or less powerful ones – it’s just how they maintain order, according to the staff.

I was reading about the Japanese macaques at the zoo, and it’s fascinating how they have a really clear social ranking. Apparently, the monkeys higher up in the group will sometimes correct those lower down, but the zoo wanted to make it clear that this isn’t the same as abuse – it’s just how their society works!

Officials explained that Punch doesn’t interact with people all the time, and generally spends his day calmly. They’ve also observed that more and more monkeys are getting along well with him.

We hope you’ll take a moment to read about the videos circulating that appear to show Punch being bullied. This concerns Punch at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens. We’re all rooting for Punch! #IchikawaCityZoo #GoPunch

— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) March 10, 2026

The zoo has taken extra safety steps after noticing a few of the most important monkeys were acting more aggressively towards the individual in question.

We noticed some of the leading macaques were becoming unusually aggressive, so we temporarily removed them from the group on March 8th.

Currently, there’s no sign that Punch has been hurt badly enough to endanger his life, according to the statement.

I was really relieved to hear from the zoo that they’re still focused on Punch’s health. They said the keepers are all working together to make sure he can keep living a happy and healthy life with his monkey family, and that’s just great to know!

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2026-03-10 14:20