An orphaned monkey in Japan has captured hearts, flooding the zoo with visitors and boosting sales for the plush toy that has been a comfort to him.

Punch-kun, a seven-month-old macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens, has finally broken through the barriers of social rejection.

A widely shared video shows an adult monkey gently pulling Punch into a close, reassuring hug — a moment that social media users have described as deeply moving.