Viral Monkey Punch Is Alive and Healthy Despite Death Rumors

Punch, the Japanese macaque who became popular online, is alive and healthy despite rumors of his death. Visitors stopped seeing him at Ichikawa City Zoo after the Monkey Mountain viewing area closed temporarily, prompting speculation on social media.

The area is closed from September 1 to September 18, 2026, while the zoo installs sun protection and improves other facilities for the Japanese macaques. The closure affects the viewing area, not the zoo permanently.

Recent material linked to the zoo showed Punch active inside his enclosure and still living at Ichikawa City Zoo with his group. A video recorded before the closure showed him playing in water and moving normally.

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Yesterday, just before the zoo and the Monkey Mountain area closed, at around 4:30 p.m., Punch climbed up and sat where he could be seen very clearly from the back row. Everyone was recording him.

Visitors also posted that they had seen Punch shortly before the closure. One person said Punch climbed up and sat in a spot where he could be clearly seen from the back rows at about 4:30 p.m., with visitors recording him.

Another post described an emotional farewell, saying Punch climbed to his favorite place and looked at the visitors before he could no longer be visited for several weeks.

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Goodbye, Punch. Punch climbed to his favorite place and looked at everyone for the last time. Maybe he knew he could not be visited for a few weeks, but the moment felt very moving.