A video that both depresses and inspires hope is rapidly spreading on social media. In the frames, a small macaque - Panch - is seen, who, instead of her mother, makes a soft toy her "mother."
We are talking about the zoo in the Japanese city of Itikawa. Panch is six months old. It is said that she was abandoned by her mother after birth. For this reason, the zoo staff initially took care of it themselves, and then transferred it to the enclosure where other monkeys lived.
But the gang here did not immediately receive Panch. For the little macaque, this was a difficult ordeal: a new environment, new rules, and, moreover, the feeling of not being considered "one's own." Then the employees gifted him a soft toy in the shape of an orangutan, made by IKEA. And Panch, wherever he went, wouldn't let go of this toy, holding it to his chest and carrying it around.
In one of the viral videos, one of the adult monkeys in the herd attacks Panch: drags him, attacks him. Panch barely escaped and, screaming, ran back to his toy. As if this "gentle friend" were his only comfort, his only peace of mind...
But the second part of the story makes one feel somewhat relieved. Later, it is depicted that another adult monkey takes Panch under its protection, tightly embraces him, and begins to gather lice. That is, there is still love in the crowd. It is also seen that one of the monkeys of the same age, Panch, gets close and plays chase.
Zoo staff emphasize that occasional aggression among some monkeys is commonplace for macaques. Most importantly, "transferring" Panch to another enclosure is not a solution either: macaques cannot live alone. He needs to join the group gradually, step by step.
After the footage of the Punch became widespread, many people began visiting the zoo to see it with their own eyes. On social media, thousands of supporting comments are being made under the hashtag HangInTherePunch ("Be Strong, Panch").
Interestingly, it was reported that Petra Fare, the president of IKEA's Japan branch, also visited the zoo and gifted Panch a set of soft toys.
It's hard to say that Panch's life will change in a day. But one thing is clear: he is not alone. There are people helping him, and there are kind hands in the crowd. And most importantly - Panch is gradually beginning to believe.
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