Punch, an infant Japanese macaque once famous for clutching a plush orangutan at a zoo, is now seen less often with the stuffed surrogate even as he continues to draw global attention and social media devotion.The Ministry of Agriculture estimates ¥770M in primate crop damage and Japan authorizes the capture and slaughter of thousands of macaques each year, prompting farmers to press for protection while experts such as Takayo Soma and Shigeyuki Izumiyama urge science-based, nonlethal measures like electric fences and trained deterrent dogs.Farmers including
Aso Kojima and
Takumi Matsuda balance livelihood concerns with sympathy for the animals, use electric fences and
Instagram outreach, and say they hope Punchs popularity broadens public understanding and shifts policy toward prevention rather than routine culling.