A bizarre video circulating online shows a man in a blue costume with an oversized emoji head climbing into the enclosure of Punch, the baby macaque whose attachment to an orangutan plushie helped make him an internet sensation.
Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo. He became widely known earlier this year after images and clips showed him holding a plush toy staff provided after his mother refused him at birth, The Independent reported.
Social media footage shows one man climbing over the barrier around Punch's enclosure as a second man films. The costumed intruder also appeared to be holding a matching doll while trying to stop the oversized emoji headpiece from coming loose in front of visitors.
The story quickly drew widespread attention online. Previously, Punch's popularity reportedly prompted the zoo introduce visitor rules. They included instructions for guests to keep quiet and shorten their visits to reduce stress on Punch and the other monkeys.
As for this incident, police said zoo staff quickly detained the pair before they got close to the animals, according to The Independent. There were about 60 monkeys in the enclosure at the time, Punch among them.
Authorities later named the two men. They were American nationals Reid Jahnai Dayson, 24, a student, and Neal Jabahri Duan, 27, who reportedly said he was a singer. Both have been charged with forcible obstruction of business, though they deny the allegations.
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In a statement posted on X, the zoo said no abnormalities were observed among the animals after the intrusion.
"From tomorrow onward, with the safety and health of the animals as our top priority, we will proceed with countermeasures while strictly addressing any rule violations," read a portion of the post's caption.
In addition to taking action to shield him from the downsides of internet fame, Punch's caretakers had already been working to support his long-term development. They reportedly provided the plush toy so he could practice clinging, a survival skill newborn macaques need. Since then, he has spent more time with adult monkeys and depended less on the toy — exactly the kind of progress staff want to encourage, not interrupt.
When animals go viral, the attention can quickly become a burden. What appears online as a sweet or amusing moment can translate into crowds, noise, and disruptive behavior that affects real animals' welfare. Public spaces like zoos depend on visitors respecting boundaries, especially when living creatures are involved.
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