Punch and Djungelskog: The Story Behind the Story

In a recent article, we wrote about Punch, the little monkey who stole hearts around the world with the help of his plush orangutan. But there’s much more to this story than viral videos and sold-out stuffed animals. Behind the fame of zoo animals going viral for doing cute, human-like things, there are real conversations to be had about best practices and animal wellbeing.

To recap, Punch is a baby macaque monkey living at the Ichikawa Zoo in Japan. After his mother did not care for him after birth, Punch was partially raised by zoo staff. Along the way, he was given a plush orangutan, Djungelskog, to carry around and cling to. Images and videos of Punch and his friend soon became a viral sensation, including timely messages of solidarity from the stuffie manufacturer, IKEA.

Punch is reportedly doing better, depending less on his stuffed orangutan and even being groomed and hugged by some of the other monkeys. In other good news, the care of orphans like Punch—and of zoo and aquarium animals in general—has undergone a dramatic transition for the better over time. Punch’s story is also a chance to pause and think more deeply about how we view and treat animals, whether it’s a monkey in a zoo or our own companions in our homes. 

Cases such as this often invite strong opinions about the nature of zoo animal care and animal wellbeing. Before jumping to conclusions about Punch’s case or those like it, it’s worth pausing for a moment. Situations like this are rarely simple, and from the outside, it’s easy to form quick opinions without having the full picture. In reality, these cases are often complex, nuanced, and shaped by many factors that aren’t always visible. Managing wildlife species under human care always involves many layers.

It’s also important to note that the considerations and approaches discussed in this article come from our own experience working in the zoo and aquarium field. Although our thoughts can offer helpful context, they may not directly reflect what is happening at the Ichikawa Zoo, as each situation is approached individually and guided by its own unique set of circumstances.

History of Zoo Orphan Care

The care of orphans in zoos has a long history. Originally, orphaned animals were raised in a sterile environment away from their own species, based on the belief that removing them from germs and physical dangers was in their best interest. But in the 1950s, psychologist Harry Harlow published a series of controversial studies showing the importance of touch and physical comfort for the development of infant rhesus macaques, which influenced broader thinking about early human childhood development.

Not only did Harlow’s work contribute to a shift in best practices for human infant care, including modern practices such as skin-to-skin contact, infant massage, and sensory stimulation, it also transformed care for orphaned animals. Since that time, it’s been common practice to supply young animals in zoo nurseries with a stuffed animal, blanket, or other soft item. These items aren’t meant to entirely take the place of a mother or companion but do provide that constant support of touch sensation when zoo staff can’t always be in physical contact.

However, the evolution of best practices didn’t stop there. Over time, zoo professionals also became aware of the negative effects of growing up away from one’s own species. Without the group they were born into, orphaned monkeys like Punch would often fail to learn to be a monkey, which could lead to a lifetime of poor social adjustment, compromised welfare, and potential health impacts. It led to generations of adult animals who themselves didn’t know how to care for their young, which only continued the problem.

In many species, there are defined critical windows during which social and environmental exposure shape lifelong behavior. Missing these windows can result in persistent issues that are difficult, or sometimes impossible, to fully reverse. We now know that exposure to species-appropriate social cues and mental stimulation is crucial for young animals of any species to learn behaviors like how to interact in harmony, what types of foods to eat and how to eat them, appropriate exploration and physical exercise, and how to live the full expression of their inborn instincts.

At our core, we at BSM Partners are nutrition nerds. We can’t help but point out the important benefits of same-species reintroduction to nutritional and physical health. Thanks to a new and booming field of science over the past 20 to 30 years, it’s become clear that a natural microbiome also plays an extremely important role in young animal development.

A microbiome is the natural collection of beneficial microbes (such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) that live in and on the bodies of every living thing—in our guts, on our skin, in our mouths and body fluids, and most of our organs. Young animals (and humans too!) must be exposed to these normal microbes carried by other members of their species for their digestive tracts to operate normally, to become more resistant to disease, and possibly even for the best brain function and mental health.

For all these reasons, reintroduction to an orphan’s original group, a group of the same species or, worst-case, a closely related species, is so very important. But how? It’s vital to keep both physical safety and social structure in mind for the orphan as well as the group to whom it’s being introduced. Social dynamics, especially among primates such as macaques, can be very complex, and it takes time for everyone to feel comfortable with each other. 

Fortunately, today’s zoo professionals can often rely on a tried-and-true method to gradually introduce a new group member. Often affectionately called “howdying,” it involves a step-by-step process: first getting to know each other through sound and smell on either side of a solid door or partition, then moving to visual contact through a clear barrier, and finally through a mesh partition for limited touch. Each step is carefully monitored by zoo staff, who look for behavioral signs that stress levels are declining over time before proceeding to the next step in the process.

Often, the very last step in the process is free physical contact, and even then, there are ways to make it less scary. For example, introducing the new member to a smaller sub-group to form initial bonds can help build a feeling of safety when later introduced to the wider group. However, animals can also be unpredictable, and in the event of a negative incident, staff will often back up to a prior step, wait until everyone’s more comfortable, and try again.

The great part of the “howdy” technique is that you can use it even at home, such as when introducing a new dog or cat to the household. Gradual introduction strategies like “howdying” are not just behavioral; they are physiological. By controlling exposure and allowing stress responses to rise and fall in manageable ways, caregivers help prevent chronic activation of stress-hormone pathways, which can affect immune function, social behavior, and long-term health. This technique helps smooth the rough edges and stress of such introductions, to set everyone up for better long-term relationships and health by building on positive progress.

Humanization

When we see a baby monkey carrying around its favorite stuffie, it can naturally invite comparisons to human toddlers. It’s here that we’d like to pause and talk for a minute about humanization—sometimes also referred to as anthropomorphizing, or  “Disneyfication.” As with our pets, people have a natural tendency to assign human traits to wild animals, whether in zoos or in their natural habitats, based on media representations rather than facts. Our brains are wired to interpret unfamiliar behaviors through a human lens. While it may sound harmless and cute, this habit can have severe consequences for both humans and the animals themselves.

Humanizing pets can lead to unnecessary products and potentially harmful diets that follow human trends. Humanizing wild animals fuels detrimental practices like the illegal trade of exotic animals, which causes physical harm and stress for the animals, contributes to wildlife extinction, and can increase the chances of people and other animals contracting zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted among species). It can also lead to interactions with free-ranging wildlife that are dangerous to people and animals alike, and can result in the death of either or both.

So, even though Punch is objectively adorable and he has his orangutan for good reasons, it’s important to remember that at his core he is a wild animal, and assigning too many human traits to him could do more harm than good. (And remember, as much as we’d all love for this to happen, a bear that you come across in the woods isn’t going to sing and dance with you like Baloo from The Jungle Book, and grown-up Bambi might react dangerously if threatened.)

Animal Wellbeing

Many comments posted to images and videos of Punch’s saga bring up concerns about animal welfare, and everyone’s heart is in the right place. Zoo professionals likewise take animal wellbeing incredibly seriously. Just as with pets and other domestic animals, animal wellbeing in zoos and aquariums has gone through its own incredible evolution to become a mature field, backed by scientific studies, professional organizations, rigorous staff training, and professionals challenging each other to advance best practices continually.

Here again, it’s important to resist the urge to inject human bias into the process. Today’s zoos and aquariums constantly develop new ways to objectively measure whether an animal is experiencing positive or negative wellbeing in ways that are true to its core as a member of its species. Best wellbeing—and its assessment—may look very different for a land-based mammal compared to a fish living in water versus a reptile whose body temperature depends on its surroundings.

Most importantly, zoos and aquariums are focusing on documenting an animal’s welfare status over time and as animals experience different life stages, such as growth, reproduction, and aging, which allows caregivers to understand when a change may be needed to get things back on track. Best practices include keeping an objective record of body weight, posture, social interactions, commonly-visited locations, appetite, findings from preventive medical exams, and more. Systems are developed to identify a baseline for positive wellbeing, flag when a measurement(s) drifts downward, and trigger staff discussions to address any changes in a collaborative environment among experts in species-specific animal care, medicine, nutrition, behavior, and natural history.

Much of these same sorts of welfare record-keeping are becoming standard with domestic animals, and you can use them with your own pets as well to support productive discussions with your veterinarian and other animal health professionals that result in long, healthy lives for your furry (or scaly! or spiny!) companions.

Take-Homes

Punch’s story has resonance because it sits at the intersection of care, curiosity, and compassion. It reminds us how easy it is to be drawn in by what feels familiar, and how important it is to pause and look a little deeper. Behind every moment that captures our attention in zoos, there is likely a much larger picture shaped by science, experience, and a deep commitment to doing what’s best for the animal.

Today's care of zoo and aquarium habitats is emerging from a growing body of research into behavior, nutrition, medicine, and welfare science. They are not static systems; they are constantly evolving as we better understand what animals need to reproduce, develop, and thrive in a human-dominated world. Although we don’t always see the big picture from the outside, that work is being done day in and day out. 

If stories like Punch’s spark curiosity, that’s a powerful place to start. Please keep that alive by taking time to learn more about the realities of animal care, the risks of humanizing wildlife, and the role accredited zoos play in wellbeing and conservation, which helps turn that curiosity into meaningful understanding. 

Exploring initiatives like the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) Not a Pet Campaign, learning about how wellbeing is assessed and supported in professional settings, and choosing to support accredited zoos and reputable organizations like the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Human Behavior Change for Animals are all ways to engage thoughtfully and constructively.

At the end of the day, caring about animals is just the starting point; understanding them is what truly makes a difference. When we look beyond what feels familiar and focus on what animals actually need, we make better choices for their health and wellbeing. When we align our care, expectations, and decisions with their biology and needs, we give them the best opportunity for a healthy, enriched, and fully expressed life. 

And stay tuned! You can expect more on these topics and others from a zoological perspective from BSM Partners and the Barking Mad podcast in the future!

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About the Authors

Dr. Katy Miller works as the Director of Veterinary Services at BSM Partners. She earned her veterinary degree at Ross University and completed her clinical year at Louisiana State University. She previously served for 11 years as the Director of Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition for Mud Bay where she earned multiple certifications and specialized in pet food nutrition, prior to which she practiced general and emergency medicine for seven years. She is also a competitive three-day eventer, licensed falconer, and claims only two (Golden and Mini Doxie) of their nine dogs.

Cady Wolf is an Analyst at BSM Partners. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English from Brigham Young University-Idaho, and she currently lives in Rexburg, Idaho with her husband, their two cats, and pet tortoise. She loves animals and learning about how to help pet brands and pet parents alike.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Jen completed a B.S. in Animal Science at Colorado State University, an M.S. in Zoology with a focus on nutritional ecology at Oklahoma State University, and a PhD in Animal Nutrition at Mississippi State University. After completing her doctoral research on giant panda dietary management at the Memphis Zoo, she worked as an Associate Nutritionist at the San Diego Zoo for 5 years, followed by 4 years at the Denver Zoo as Nutritionist and director of the nutrition program. Since early 2018 she's been a Senior Nutritionist in technical support, research and development, and formulation and ingredient strategy with Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy spoiling their two cats, rooting for the 49ers, and enjoying the waterfront and surrounding nature of the San Francisco Bay Area.