Watch video: Two American tourists break into Punch the Monkey's enclosure in Japan zoo, arrested by authorities

In February 2026, the whole of the internet was sobbing over the life story of a baby macaque who had been abandoned by his mother and clung to a plushie for emotional support. Punch the monkey, known as Panchi-kun in Japanese, had the world's hearts in his little palms after the story of his rejection and isolation went viral online.

While people still check up on the almost a year old monkey, it seems some have gone too far. On May 17, two American nationals allegedly entered Punch's enclosure in the Ichikawa zoo. The Ichikawa Police Department identified two American suspects in the incident, named Jahnai Dayson, a 24-year-old university student and Neal Jabahri Duan, 27, who identifies as a singer.

The video of the incident quickly gained traction online where a man dressed in a costume climbed over the fence and into the enclosure, dropping a small stuffed toy near a mound covered in monkeys, wreaking havoc among the macaques. As per authorities, Dayson was the one who climbed over the fence and entered Punch's enclosure while Duan filmed him.

The duo did not get close to the animals and were quickly apprehended by the zoo workers, an Ichikawa Police official said to AFP. The two men have been arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business. The zoo also talked about the incident on X (formerly Twitter) and confirmed that the intruders had been "handed over to the police."

"In response, we conducted safety checks on the animals and facilities," the zoo added. "No abnormalities have been observed in the animals," the facility said in another post, adding that Ichikawa City Zoo has "filed a damage report with the Ichikawa Police Station."

Moreover, the zoo has strengthened the security measures by expanding its viewing-restriction area and installing intrusion-prevention nets.

Internet rallies behind Punch the Monkey

Punch the Monkey, was born in July 2025 and was rejected by his mother, which is a devastating start for the life of a Japanese macaque whose early survival depends on maternal bonding. He was hand-raised by zoo keepers and formed a strong bond with a plush Ikea orangutan dubbed "Ora-mama" which provided him with a sense of comfort and security. Videos of him approaching other monkeys only to be swatted or ignored took the internet by an emotional storm. #HangInTherePunch began trending on social media platforms including X, Instagram and Reddit.

While he has formed numerous bonds and allegedly, even a girlfriend, since then, the world still remains invested in the story of the abandoned monkey. This is why the video led to the men getting trolled online for their stunt.

"What was this person thinking? Dressing as an emoji to scare monkeys? That's next level wild and pretty ridiculous!" wrote a user on X.

"It's surprising how some people think their actions are funny. Climbing into a zoo enclosure is risky and unfair to the animals. Let’s hope this leads to better safety measures!" added another.

"Jail them. Fine them. Deport them," one suggested.