Punch, the seven-month-old macaque, had shockingly earned international recognition for reasons other than his small frame or cheerful nature. Based in Japan's Ichikawa City Zoo, the baby monkey has become a heartwarming attachment to an orange soft toy, which has now generated interest all over the world.
A warm little toy that transforms his life
According to reports, Punch's mother and other monkeys in his cage left him. A dollar 20 IKEA Djungelskog plush animal was provided by zoo employees as an adorable monkey toy to calm the little monkey. Online hearts were instantly warmed by what transpired.
Also Read । Rat poison on fruits? Mumbai incident leaves shoppers stunned | WATCH
Punch may be seen holding the stuffed animal all day, sleeping next to it, and embracing it in pictures and videos. Like a kid attached to a mother, he holds on to it tightly. It became a sudden worldwide hit due to the moving images that quickly went viral on social media.
The popular toy
The New York Post said that after being connected to Punch, the $20 (about Rs 1,817) IKEA Djungelskog orangutan soft toy became extremely popular. In recent weeks, the item apparently sold out in shops in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. The need was not limited to the store shelf. On online marketplaces like eBay, people started buying the stuffed animal. Resale prices in a lot were over 10 times the original cost, reaching as much as $350 (Rs 31,803). According to reports, a vendor from Allen, Texas, purchased 17 toys and put them up for sale online for $51.99 (Rs 4,727) each. In order to ensure Punch will always be a comfortable buddy, Petra Fare, President and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA Japan, physically visited Ichikawa City Zoo to gift more plush toys, according to the newspaper. Footage of the little monkey is still going viral, and people's obsession with the orange soft toy isn't going away.
