Verified timeline

A verified timeline.

Milestones we can source. Where a claim rests on site commentary rather than an official or press source, it is labelled as such.

July 2025
Official
Punch-kun is born at Ichikawa City Zoo.
A male Japanese macaque is born during an unusually hot summer in Chiba, Japan.
- Ichikawa City Zoo · Official statements and care updates
Summer 2025
Editorial
Hand-rearing begins; a plush companion is introduced.
After separation from his mother, keepers hand-rear him and introduce an IKEA Djungelskog orangutan plush as a comfort object.
Late 2025
Press
Videos of Punch-kun and his plush travel internationally.
Short clips of the infant clinging to the orangutan plush circulate widely online and in Japanese and international press.
Late 2025
Press
A noted sales lift for the Djungelskog plush.
Reporting describes a measurable uptick in sales of the IKEA Djungelskog orangutan, attributed to the story.
- Euronews · IKEA plush toy sales surge due to Japan's famous baby monkey Punch-kun
Early 2026
Press
Reintegration challenges reported.
Coverage discusses difficulties during early attempts to reintroduce Punch-kun to the troop, including aggressive interactions.
March 2026
Press
Progress: grooming, bonds, and less reliance on the plush.
Reports describe Punch-kun being groomed by adult macaques, forming early social bonds, and relying less on his plush companion.
- NPR · Japan's viral baby monkey Punch-kun is making friends and gaining confidence
- Euronews · IKEA plush toy sales surge due to Japan's famous baby monkey Punch-kun
- U.S. News & World Report · Coverage of Punch-kun's progress at Ichikawa City Zoo

Punch-kun is born at Ichikawa City Zoo.