The plight of Punch, a baby macaque who has become an internet sensation in Japan, highlights the cruelty of zoos, an animal rights group said Tuesday.

Abandoned by his mother, Punch gained fame after being photographed getting bullied by other monkeys and clutching an IKEA orangutan plush toy for comfort at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo.

“Zoos are not sanctuaries; they are places where animals are confined, deprived of autonomy, and denied the complex environments and social lives they would have in the wild,” said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Jason Baker, PETA’s Asia director, said what many see as “cute” is actually a glimpse into the trauma of a young, social primate coping with isolation and loss. He called for Punch to be moved to a reputable sanctuary where he could live in a more natural environment.

Online sensation and toy craze

Punch, born in July, was raised in an artificial environment and began training last month to rejoin his troop. His story has drawn crowds to the zoo and a devoted online fan base under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.

The IKEA orangutan plush toy Punch clings to has seen “unprecedented” demand, with the holding company Ingka Group saying the item is out of stock in some markets, including Japan and the United States.

During a long holiday weekend, visitors queued up to an hour to see Punch, with more than 5,000 people visiting the zoo on Monday, the facility said on X. A “restricted zone” was set up around part of the enclosure to reduce stress for the animals.

The zoo added that Punch is being carefully integrated into his group, with two monkeys grooming him, as he adjusts to life in the troop.