Jakarta, ThedailyID — Japanese police arrested two American tourists after they entered a monkey enclosure at Ichikawa City Zoo, home to the viral baby monkey Punch, whose emotional story recently attracted global attention online.
According to reports, one tourist, a 24-year-old man who claimed to be a student, climbed over a fence and jumped into a dry moat surrounding the enclosure on Sunday. Meanwhile, another man, who identified himself as a 27-year-old singer, allegedly recorded the stunt.
Videos circulating on social media showed one of the tourists wearing a costume and sunglasses while entering the restricted area, causing the monkeys inside the enclosure to panic and scatter.
Zoo staff quickly intervened before the pair could get close to the animals, while police later detained both tourists for allegedly violating safety regulations. Reports also stated that the two men initially gave false names during questioning.
The incident happened as visitor numbers surged following Punch’s sudden viral popularity across social media platforms.
Punch gained worldwide attention after the zoo uploaded photos and videos showing the baby monkey hugging an orangutan plush toy for comfort after its mother reportedly rejected it.
One viral clip showed Punch dragging the oversized plush toy around the enclosure before returning to hug it again after other monkeys pushed the baby monkey away. The emotional videos quickly spread online and attracted millions of views worldwide.
As Punch’s popularity continued growing, more tourists reportedly began visiting the zoo to see the baby monkey in person.
The incident has now sparked fresh discussions online regarding irresponsible tourist behavior at wildlife attractions and the risks people take while chasing viral content for social media.
