India, Sept. 2 -- Claims that viral Japanese macaque Punch the Monkey has died are circulating on social media again, but there is no evidence that the animal has died.

The latest confusion appears to have coincided with the temporary closure of the monkey mountain viewing area at the zoo. Ichikawa City officially announced that the area would be closed to visitors from September 1 to September 18, as scheduled construction work is carried out.

The closure does not mean the zoo itself has shut down, and there is no indication in the official notice that Punch is ill or has died.

According to Ichikawa City's official notice, the monkey mountain area is being closed while improvement work is carried out. The project includes the installa...