At the Chiba Prefecture zoo east of Tokyo, visitors gathered on Tuesday's Japanese holiday to see the baby Japanese macaque, born last July and abandoned by his mother.
Raised by zookeepers and bottle-fed in a separate space, Punch became known for clinging to an orangutan plushie given to him after being rejected.
Since joining the other macaques in January, he has gradually socialised more, been groomed by other monkeys and spent less time with the toy, zoo officials said.
How did one baby monkey's love for a toy spark a global frenzy and transform a local zoo's fate?
Does Punch's heartwarming story of survival mask a darker reality about the welfare of animals in captivity?
Beyond his social success, what invisible health threats from his past could jeopardize Punch's future?