Japanese police have arrested two American nationals after one allegedly entered the enclosure of viral macaque monkey Punch at Ichikawa City Zoo while the other filmed the stunt for social media.
Authorities said the incident happened on Sunday morning and involved a man dressed in a costume carrying a stuffed toy.
Police identified one suspect as a 24-year-old college student and the second as a 27-year-old singer, according to Japanese media reports.
Both men denied the allegations.
Investigators arrested them on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business.
Officials confirmed no animals suffered injuries during the incident.
Footage circulating on social media appeared to show a person climbing over a fence and entering the monkey enclosure while visitors watched nearby.
The costume reportedly promoted a cryptocurrency project.
Zoo staff quickly intervened and escorted the individual out of the enclosure before the situation escalated further.
Punch Became Global Internet Sensation
Punch gained worldwide attention earlier this year after videos showed the young macaque hugging and carrying a stuffed orangutan toy around his enclosure.
The nine-month-old monkey became a social media sensation after zoo keepers gave him the toy following rejection by his mother.
Images and clips of Punch attracted millions of views online.
The zoo frequently shared updates showing the monkey dragging the stuffed toy, sleeping beside it and playing with it.
Zoo officials previously explained that Punch initially struggled to bond with other macaques after moving into a shared enclosure in January.
Keepers and the stuffed toy became his main source of comfort during that period.
Recent updates from the zoo showed signs of improvement in Punch’s social behaviour.
The monkey has reportedly started grooming and interacting more closely with other macaques inside the enclosure.
Zoo Tightens Security After Incident
Ichikawa City Zoo announced on Monday that it had filed a damage report with police and introduced additional security measures.
The zoo said officials would expand viewing restriction zones near the enclosure and install new intrusion prevention nets.
Management also said it was considering a complete filming ban around the monkey enclosure.
Requests from YouTubers and content creators to film near the animals will remain temporarily suspended.
Police and zoo officials stressed that workers prevented direct contact between the suspects and the animals.
The case highlights growing problems linked to internet-famous zoo animals and viral social media trends.
Last month, authorities in Thailand fined a man after he illegally entered the enclosure of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo that became globally famous through viral videos and photographs.
Animal welfare experts have repeatedly warned that online fame can increase risks for zoo animals because visitors may attempt dangerous stunts for social media attention.
Officials at Ichikawa City Zoo said the latest incident showed the need for stronger safety controls to protect both visitors and animals from reckless behaviour.
