Two US nationals have been arrested after one jumped into the enclosure of Punch, an internet-famous baby macaque, at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan while the other filmed the stunt, police said Sunday.
The suspect, a 24-year-old claiming to be a college student, allegedly scaled a fence to enter the enclosure wearing a costume promoting a cryptocurrency. The second man, a 27-year-old singer, recorded the incident. Both denied the allegations. No monkeys were injured.
Punch, now nine months old, went viral earlier this year after being spotted hugging a stuffed toy orangutan given by keepers after his mother rejected him. The zoo filed a damage report, expanding viewing restrictions and installing intrusion nets. It is considering a full ban on filming around the enclosure and paused all YouTuber filming requests.
The men did not approach the animals and were quickly apprehended by zoo staff, an Ichikawa Police official said. Punch has since integrated with other macaques, according to recent zoo updates.