Another heart-melting moment like Punch: Baby monkey hugs plush toy after mother’s rejection goes viral

A baby monkey named Yuji is going viral because he hugs a soft toy after his mother rejected him. Yuji is a young patas monkey who is now being taken care of by veterinarians at the Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico, as reported by The Independent. His mother Kamaria, who was a first-time parent, could not bond with him or care for him properly, according to ABC News.

Just a few hours after birth on March 3, Kamaria showed unusual behavior and could not even hold her baby properly. Because of this, zoo staff quickly separated Yuji from his mother to protect his life. At that time, Yuji was very weak and weighed only 443 grams (less than 1 pound), so he was placed in an incubator to stay warm and safe, as reported by ABC News.

Baby monkey rescue story

This marked the start of a process called assisted rearing, which zoos use to save babies that are at risk. A caregiver later named him Yuji, inspired by a popular Japanese manga character, as mentioned by ABC News. Today, Yuji is about 6 weeks old and weighs around 673 grams (1.4 pounds). Since he has no mother, Yuji has found comfort in a stuffed toy dog, which he hugs daily.

Monkey finds comfort in toy

This toy is not just for play — it acts like a surrogate mother, helping him feel safe while sleeping and feeding, as stated byThe Independent. To keep things clean, zoo staff rotate his toys between a dog, a bear, and a monkey plush. Yuji lives inside a special crate at the zoo’s Comprehensive Center for Animal Medicine and Welfare (CIMBA), where he is closely monitored. A team of 12 veterinarians and biologists is taking care of him 24/7.

In his early days, Yuji needed constant attention and was bottle-fed with fortified milk. Now, as he grows stronger, he is fed four times a day, starting at 7:00 a.m. To help him develop, caregivers have added ropes and a small hammock inside his crate so he can move and play. Unlike other monkeys, Yuji has not yet interacted with other monkeys and spends most of his time alone in care.

Future plans for baby monkey

The zoo plans to move him to a shared habitat with 12 adult monkeys and 3 babies, but only after he grows stronger. Experts say this may happen when Yuji is around 6 months old and can eat fruits and vegetables instead of only milk, as noted by ABC News.

Viral monkey story

Yuji’s story reminds many people of Punch, another monkey who went viral for clinging to a stuffed toy after being rejected by his mother. Just like Punch, Yuji’s emotional bond with a toy has touched people online and made many feel sad and caring. However, not everyone agrees with this kind of care — some animal rights activists have raised concerns.

Activist Diana Valencia says animals should live in their natural habitat and grow up with their own kind, as cited by ABC News. In response, zoo expert Iván Reynoso Ruiz said the intervention was necessary and saved Yuji’s life. He explained that without human help, Yuji would likely have died in the wild.

The zoo also said that modern facilities help protect animals from bigger global dangers. For now, Yuji continues to grow slowly, finding comfort in his soft toy while getting a second chance at life, as highlighted by The Independent.

FAQs

Q1. Why is the baby monkey Yuji hugging a toy?

Yuji hugs a soft toy because his mother rejected him, so the toy helps him feel safe and calm.

Q2. Where is baby monkey Yuji now?

Yuji is being cared for by veterinarians at Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico, where he is growing under expert supervision.