Japanese police have arrested two American men after a person wearing a costume entered the enclosure of Punch, a baby monkey who became an internet sensation.
Video footage showed an individual dressed in a bright yellow smiling-face costume climbing over a fence at Ichikawa City Zoo and dropping into the dry moat surrounding the exhibit. The person then put the costume head back on and walked around inside the enclosure, causing the monkeys to run and hide.
Zoo staff quickly intervened and alerted authorities. According to Ichikawa Police, a 24-year-old university student was arrested for allegedly entering the enclosure, while a 27-year-old man who identified himself as a singer was arrested for allegedly recording the incident.
The two men were arrested on suspicion of obstructing business operations. Both denied the allegations.
No monkeys were harmed during the incident.
In a statement shared on X, Ichikawa Zoo apologized and said no health or behavioral issues had been observed among the monkeys following the event. The zoo also confirmed it had filed a damage report with police.
【侵入事件について①】
昨日のサル山内への侵入事件について、
ご心配をおかけし申し訳ありません。
動物たちに異状は見られません。
昨夜市川警察署に被害届を提出しました。明日からも動物たちの安全と健康を
第一に考えて対策を進めつつ、
ルール違反には厳しく対処いたします。…— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) May 18, 2026
The zoo, located near Tokyo, gained widespread attention earlier this year after Punch, a baby Japanese macaque, went viral online. The young monkey captured hearts after being seen hugging a stuffed orangutan given to him by zookeepers after being rejected by his mother.