A baby Japanese macaque named Punch has become an internet sensation, captivating netizens worldwide with photos and videos showing him alongside a stuffed orangutan at a zoo in Chiba Prefecture.
Images of the tiny primate quickly circulated on social media, inspiring memes and attracting attention far beyond Japan. Its success even reached the White House, according to local media.
But this popularity contrasts sharply with the situation of Japanese macaques in the wild. In many parts of the country, these primates are considered pests by farmers because of the damage they cause to crops.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, monkeys caused approximately 770 million yen (nearly $4,9 million) in agricultural losses in 2024. Faced with this damage, authorities authorize the capture and slaughter of thousands of macaques each year.
This policy is sparking debate between farmers affected by these losses and animal rights advocates, who are calling for more humane solutions.
Some scientists believe that mass culling is not an effective solution. "Killing one troop of monkeys only attracts another, making this practice ineffective and endless," explains Shigeyuki Izumiyama, a professor at Shinshu University.
Alternatives are being proposed, including the installation of electric fences or the use of "monkey dogs," dogs trained to keep macaques away from agricultural areas.
Thus, while Punch continues to charm the public on the internet, the fate of his wild counterparts remains at the heart of a debate between wildlife protection and defense of agricultural activities in Japan.
