Screenshot from media reports

A six-month-old baby monkey in Japan has gone viral online after treating a stuffed toy as its mother, capturing hearts around the world.

The baby monkey, named Punch, was abandoned by his mother after she gave birth to him in July last year at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, NHK News reported. Zookeepers decided to raise him through bottle-feeding, per the report.

When zookeepers gave Punch a stuffed orangutan as a surrogate mother to cling to, he apparently started developing an emotional bond with it, according to the report.

Punch has been filmed multiple times being dragged and chased by older Japanese macaques inside the enclosure, The Guardian reported. Early clips showed him wandering alone with the toy after being pushed away by other monkeys, and clutching it tightly while being harassed. Viewers were briefly relieved when later videos emerged of another monkey grooming and comforting him, the report added.

After related footage was shared on social media, Punch became a popular attraction at the zoo. NHK News reported that on February 19 morning, the zoo had about 900 visitors, more than four times the average.

The baby monkey also became an online sensation, with his every move attracting coverage from global media outlets including BBC News, DW, CNA and ABC News.

Punch has also drawn sympathy from many netizens. On Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese social media platform, one post garnered nearly 10,000 likes. Many users have shared photos of the monkey clinging to his toy and commented "my heart is broken," while others posted crying emojis, saying they wished they could reach out and give the monkey a hug.

The monkey has also attracted attention on X. A video showing the monkey affectionately nestled against his plush toy has received over 42,000 likes and 6,700 reposts. One netizen commented, "It has shrunk down as if it has discovered the safest, warmest place in the world."