Tokyo/IBNS, Feb. 24 -- Abandonment, rejection, bullying and loneliness - this is the story of a seven-month-old Japanese macaque whose desperate search for comfort and belonging has moved the internet to tears.

The infant macaque, named Punch - or Panchi-kun in Japanese - was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July last year at the Ichikawa City Zoo, located in Tokyo.

For primates, maternal bonding is critical in the early months of life, shaping their emotional security, social skills and survival instincts. Without that early nurturing, infants often face developmental and psychological challenges.

With no maternal figure and no social acceptance, Punch found solace in an unlikely substitute - an orangutan stuffed toy...