This is the moment a tiny orphaned monkey clings to a stuffed toy for comfort after being abandoned by his mother at a zoo, carrying the doll everywhere as his only companion.
The footage was filmed at Ichikawa City Zoo in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and went viral on social media on 15th February.
The six-month-old Japanese macaque, named Panchi-kun but affectionally called Punch, was separated from his mother at a young age and has since been hand-raised by zoo keepers.
According to reports shared online, Punch struggled to adapt when introduced to other monkeys in the zoo’s “monkey mountain” enclosure and was unable to settle within the group.
Concerned about the young animal’s isolation, keepers provided an orange-coloured orangutan toy to comfort him.
Video shows Punch gripping the toy tightly against his chest, refusing to let it out of sight as he moves around the enclosure.
The macaque is seen cradling the doll in his arms, carrying it as he climbs and walks, and cuddling up to it while resting and sleeping.
Zoo staff are continuing efforts to help Punch gradually adjust to life among the other monkeys.
Clips of the young macaque and his constant companion have spread widely online, drawing an outpouring of sympathy from social media users.
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