Columbus Zoo expert assures Punch, the viral baby monkey with a plush, is in safe, caring hands

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Punch, a baby monkey in a Japanese zoo, has melted hearts round the world with movies of him clinging to a stuffed orangutan.

Dr. Jan Ramer, senior vp of animal care and conservation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds, stated that whereas the quick viral clips of Punch have sparked concern, there’s typically way more occurring behind the scenes at zoos.

“I’ve seen the videos of Punch, and the poor little guy,” Ramer informed 10TV. “I don’t know all the circumstances at that zoo, but they’ve kept him with macaques, which is important so he can be with his own species. Sometimes reintroductions can look a little dicey, but he’s probably getting the best care he can possibly get.”

“There’s way more to the story I’m sure than we’re seeing on those little vignettes,” she added.

Ramer defined that conditions like Punch’s, in which a baby primate requires intervention, aren’t unusual in animal care.

Mothers could also be inexperienced, ailing or unable to provide sufficient milk, prompting workers to step in. She shared two latest examples from the Columbus Zoo and the Wilds, together with a bonobo named Winston, in addition to an Asian one-horned rhino named Stella, each of whom required human help earlier than being efficiently reintroduced to their households.

“Our goal is really to let the animals be animals,” Ramer stated. “If we have to intervene and help them, we want to get them back in with their own kind as soon as possible.”

The stuffed toy Punch carries, Ramer stated, is a supply of consolation — very similar to kids with their very own plush companions — however she emphasised that it is solely a part of the strategy of caring for younger animals.

For these involved about Punch’s welfare, Ramer stated individuals can take consolation in figuring out that skilled animal care workers are continually monitoring moms and infants to find out when interventions are wanted, and that conferences with members of the family are sometimes profitable.

“The best thing for any monkey or nonhuman primate that is being hand-raised is to get it back with its own kind as soon as possible,” she stated. “They’re very social animals. If you raise a monkey with humans, it won’t know how to be a monkey in the future. I suspect Punch is going to be just fine.”

Ramer additionally inspired the public to be taught extra about wildlife and conservation efforts by visiting the Columbus Zoo and the Wilds, noting that supporting conservation work helps animals each domestically and globally.

“Our animal care workers is phenomenal,” she said. “They know these animals in addition to you all know your pets. If any little factor goes unsuitable, they alert administration. They alert the vet workers.”

While viral clips can increase questions, Ramer stated observers ought to keep in mind that quick movies do not present the full story.

“When animals are reintroduced to their families or to another group, there are sometimes things that look like a little dicey, and sometimes those behaviors are completely normal,” she added.

Ramer additionally supplied perception into why Punch has captured so many hearts.

“He’s simply darn cute,” she said. “A monkey dragging round a stuffy… it actually makes us take into consideration our personal kids dragging round their stuffies. So he is, he is like emblematic of how our hearts exit to animals.”

Ramer’s message to the public: the animals at the Columbus Zoo and the Wilds are receiving the very best care, and tales like Punch’s are dealt with with expertise, endurance and a deal with the animals’ well-being.