In a zoo in Ichikawa, Japan, there is a little macaque — 7-month-old Panch — who looks for warmth day and night. After videos about his simple but very touching life spread explosively on social media, an entire market “heated up”: a soft orangutan toy given to Panch as a “surrogate mother” suddenly became popular.
According to The Washington Post, after the videos went viral, IKEA stores quickly sold out of the orangutan soft toy priced at about $20. Demand rose so sharply that, in a short time, it became difficult to find this toy in many areas.
The most interesting part is that some buyers purchased the toy from IKEA and then resold it in online shops for $90 to $350, managing to “skim the cream.” In short, Panch turned one toy into a “scarce product.”
A brief story of Panch
For information, Panch was born in July 2025. But after he was born, his mother abandoned him. Zoo staff, so that the baby monkey would not be left without warmth, gave him a soft orangutan toy as a “mother.” Panch, by hugging this toy, began to feel calm.
He joined the group, but they did not accept him
On January 19, staff tried to add Panch to a group of other monkeys. However, the group members reportedly did not let the baby monkey come close. This situation strongly affected both Panch and those watching him: he still has not given up that soft toy.
Social media “exploded”
Panch also attracted special attention from zoo visitors. After the videos spread widely, it was noted that by February 13 the number of posts published under the “Panch” hashtag reached 37,000. His story also moved people and became a reason for the increase in the number of visitors to the zoo.
That’s how it is: sometimes even a toy in the arms of a tiny creature can change the mood of the whole world. And Panch is still not ready to let go of this “symbol of warmth” — because for him, it is not just a toy, it is peace.
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