IKEA Plushie Sales Skyrocket After Viral Baby Monkey 'Punch' Story

9 hours ago 7

February 25, 2026 | 08:32 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sales of the IKEA plushie that's been dragged by a baby macaque in a Japanese zoo enclosure have skyrocketed. The plushies are now being resold for hundreds of dollars on eBay after selling out online following the viral story of Punch.

Punch, an endearing abandoned monkey at Ichikawa Zoo in Japan, has caused a stir on the internet, after he became attached to a stuffed orangutan given to him by zookeeper as a way to cope without his mother after his birth on July 26, 2025. The baby is currently being cared for by zoo staff.

Punch's popularity soared last week when he was approached by an adult monkey in his group who then dragged him on the ground. The baby macaque managed to escape and ran to his orangutan plushie in the corner of the enclosure. A spectator recorded the incident, which then went viral.

Shortly after the attack, IKEA posted a photo of a plush monkey embracing the stuffed orangutan listed as Djungelskog. The plushie is sold by the company for US$19.99 or about Rp320,000. IKEA included the caption, "We are ALL Punch's family now."

According to USA Today, in response to the attack, the zoo stated that Punch had been scolded by other monkeys multiple times before. He has learned to socialize with them.

“In the video, Punch runs to his stuffed orangutan toy after being dragged. However, as usual, he left the stuffed toy after a short while and was communicating with other monkeys," said a statement from the zoo management.

Prior to the incident, the Scandinavian furniture store donated IKEA animal plushies for Punch and other animals at the zoo. On February 17, Mayor of Ichikawa City, Ko Tanaka, uploaded a photo on X with IKEA Japan President Petra Fare, with IKEA stuffed animals for the baby monkey and other zoo animals.

Although Punch's story has garnered sympathy from social media users, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has condemned the zoo where the monkey is located. "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 Jason Baker, Director PETA for Asia, in a statement quoted from CNA.

"What some are calling 'cute' is actually a glimpse into the trauma of a young, highly social primate coping with isolation and loss," Baker said.

"Until facilities stop treating sentient beings as attractions, animals like Punch will continue to suffer in captivity," said Baker. He called for Punch to be moved to a reputable sanctuary, where he can live in a more natural environment.