Two Americans were arrested at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo after one climbed into the enclosure of Baby macaque Punch, a monkey that became an internet sensation earlier this year.
The Viral Monkey Star
Punch gained popularity after being photographed hugging an orangutan plushie, a substitute for his mother who rejected him at birth. His online fame led to a surge in visitors at the zoo.
The Incident
On Sunday around 11 a.m., a man dressed in a cartoonish blue emoji suit with an oversized yellow head scaled the 1.5-meter fence and entered Punch’s enclosure in front of zoo visitors. He carried a doll of his costume and struggled to keep the headpiece in place.
A second man filmed the stunt as it unfolded, and the footage was shared on social media. Neither man came close to the animals, and zoo staff quickly detained both. About 60 monkeys, including Punch, were inside the enclosure at the time.
Arrests and Charges
The Ichikawa Police Department identified the suspects as 24-year-old student Reid Jahnai Dayson and 27-year-old singer Neal Jabahri Duan, both American nationals. They now face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they deny.
The zoo released a statement on X:
“We apologize for the concern caused by yesterday’s intrusion into the monkey enclosure. No abnormalities were observed among the animals. We will continue to prioritise their safety and strictly address any rule violations.”
Zoo Safety and Punch’s Care
Punch was named after Monkey Punch, the creator of the manga Lupin III. Zookeepers initially gave him the orangutan toy to help him develop clinging skills needed to survive as a newborn macaque.
Over time, Punch has started to outgrow the toy and is socialising more with adult monkeys. Zookeeper Kosuke Kano, 24, said:
“Helping Punch learn the rules of monkey society and being accepted as a member is our most important task.”
The zoo had also set visitor guidelines to reduce stress for Punch and other monkeys, including quiet viewing and limiting sessions to 10 minutes.
