Kill the monkey? Debunking a viral internet hoax; “There’s no way…”

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After a video showing orphaned children, Punch the Monkey became an internet sensation and won hearts Japanese Macaques trying to settle in at the zoo. The clip shows punch After initially failing to gain approval from the other monkeys in his enclosure, he had to rely on his stuffed animals. The abandoned monkey was bullied and almost the whole world supported and cheered Punch.

A baby Japanese macaque named Punch sits next to a stuffed orangutan at the Ichikawa Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan (Reuters)
A baby Japanese macaque named Punch sits next to a stuffed orangutan at the Ichikawa Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan (Reuters)

The moment touched the hearts of many and Punch instantly became a favorite. Since then, people have been following regular updates about Punch, including that he made a new friend and found someone to care for him at the zoo. However, now a theory is going viral that Panch is dead.

ALSO READ | Let’s talk about Abandoned Monkey Punch

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The post, shared alongside a black-and-white photo of Punch and his toys, quickly went viral and sparked a backlash.

“Tell me this isn’t true,” one man pleads. Another added: “This can’t be possible…someone please tell me this isn’t real and happened to him???” Another asked “Does this work?”.

Kill the monkey? fact check

Although the post went viral and generated a lot of reactions, Punch the Monkey didn’t die. He is still alive.

The HFR Podcast mentions on its profile page that “Follow parody rap news, everything is fake. Not affiliated with the NFR Podcast.” Therefore, this post is a parody. Grok still fact-checked the story, and wrote “That’s not true! That’s a spoof account – everything they post is fake. Punch, the little monkey, is still alive in Japan and is going viral, still holding his baby monkey.” IKEA Plush toys in the zoo. “

Some users quickly discovered that the news was untrue, with some saying “Wait, this is fake. Post-punch is in Ichikawa, he’s not in Atlanta.”

Meanwhile, Punch Zoo has provided an update.

Zoo Punch Updates

The Ichikawa Zoo and Botanical Garden is responding to concerns about the health of Japanese macaques, including Punch.

On X, they wrote “Currently, many visitors come to the zoo to see the little monkey Punch,” the statement began, noting that many people have inquired about the health of Punch and his fellow macaques.

Authorities noted that “monkey welfare” remains their top priority. They also noted that they have four back rooms that are always open and used by Punch as a resting place. “Many trees used for environmental enrichment have become excellent play tools, especially for small monkeys, including Punch. We are always looking for the best ways to improve the environment,” they said.

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