Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Punch, the baby monkey who once found comfort in a giant plush orangutan after being rejected by his mother, has apparently grown into the kind of older monkey he once needed himself.
New videos show him spending time with newborn monkeys at the zoo, gently staying close to them and keeping a watchful eye over them.
Punch first became known online in February this year after photos from the zoo showed the tiny monkey clinging to a large orange orangutan plush toy.
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He had been rejected by his mother and struggled to settle in with the other monkeys, some of whom ignored him while others behaved aggressively towards him.
The plush toy became his constant companion. A member of the zoo staff had given it to Punch as a form of comfort as well as a way to encourage muscle development, effectively providing him with something resembling a maternal presence while he adjusted to life without his mother.
Months later, Punch appeared to have come a long way from those difficult early days.
In a now-viral video shared by X user Melissa Wong, Punch is seen approaching a newborn monkey slowly and cautiously. He then lies down beside the tiny animal and stays there, appearing to keep watch over it as it remains close to him.
Wong captioned the video by recalling Punch’s earlier story, writing, “Remember the little orphaned baby monkey Punch? He carried his orange stuffy with him and was getting bullied by all the other monkeys. His story went viral.”
She then pointed out how different he appeared now, adding, “Punch is all grown up now and has taken on a little one and watches out for him.” She ended the post with a message about turning difficult experiences into kindness and becoming “someone’s lifeline.”
Watch the video here:
Another video offers a glimpse of a much more playful side of Punch. Shared by another X user, it shows him happily playing alongside the other monkeys, looking far more comfortable in the group than he did during his early days.
The post also carried a message from a keeper about Punch’s life at the zoo. “Today’s Punch, photographed by a keeper,” the caption read, explaining that the condition of Punch and the other animals changed from day to day.
The keepers said they observed the animals, interacted with them and provided care while also adjusting their feeding according to the season and weather. They attributed Punch’s healthy development to the consistent care provided by the zoo staff and asked people to support the keepers as well.
Punch’s story had therefore changed considerably from the one that first made him famous.
As a baby, he had been the little monkey carrying an orange plush toy everywhere because he had struggled to find acceptance from his own kind. The toy became a substitute source of comfort while the zoo staff cared for him and helped him grow stronger.
The newer footage shows a monkey who appears much more settled around his companions. Instead of being the youngster watching other monkeys from the sidelines, Punch is now seen playing alongside them. And in the particularly touching clip with the newborn, he appears to have taken on a protective presence of his own.
Watch the video here:
There was something especially fitting about the transformation. Punch had once needed another source of comfort when he was small and vulnerable. Now, the videos show him offering that same sense of companionship to another young monkey.
His story was still very much a work in progress, with keepers continuing to monitor his wellbeing and care for him as his environment and needs changed.
But from the lonely baby with an oversized orange plush companion to a healthy young monkey playing with his group and watching over a newborn, Punch had clearly come a long way.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
