Abandoned by his mother and spurned by some peers, the young macaque shot to stardom after he was seen clinging to a plush orangutan toy from IKEA for comfort at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo.
In February, the zoo started releasing social media video posts about Punch's clumsy efforts to join his troop, spawning a dedicated fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.
He is growing well, in good health and is now playing with others, zoo official Takashi Yasunaga told AFP on Friday.
"He is less and less turning to the orangutan doll. He is communicating with other animals and playing with other baby monkeys," he said.
"He is building his position as a member of the group."
