Punch the Baby Monkey’s Ikea Plushie Is Selling for Hundreds on eBay

Punch, the baby macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, has gone viral in some heart-breaking videos. The little guy was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and carries around a plush orangutan that looks like it’s from Ikea’s Djungelskog collection. The Ikea stuffed animal is essentially a substitute mother that zookeepers have dubbed Ora-mama.

But if you’re looking to buy your own matching orangutan from Ikea, you’re going to have a hard time. They’re currently unavailable for delivery from the Ikea website and some are now selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay.

Punch was born July 26, 2025 but was hand-reared by zookeepers and only reintroduced to his group earlier this month. Macaques typically cling to their mothers to build muscle strength and learn all kinds of social skills, as animal behavior expert Carla Litchfield recently told Australia’s ABC News.

The zookeepers initially experimented with giving Punch rolled up towels and other stuffed animals before landing on the Ikea orangutan, according to the Japan Times. The viral videos kicked off tremendous interest in the Djungelskog orangutan at the Ikea website, which is still listed for $20, but they all appear to be sold out.

If you want to find one you’ll have to try your luck on reseller sites like eBay, where they’re going for as much as $355 to buy outright at the time of this writing. There are some you can grab for less, especially if you’re willing to get a smaller version of the plush toy. Punch’s measures about 26 inches but there’s also a small 8-inch model that looks similar. That smaller one is also sold out on the Ikea website.

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what shipping costs may be added on to your order when you use a site like eBay. Punch’s story has truly become a global sensation and Ikea has been selling the plush doll around the world. That $40 version from Slovakia might seem like a great deal until you tack on the $25 international shipping fee.

Why did Punch’s mom abandon him? Zookeepers believe it might have something to do with the fact that Punch was born during a heatwave and his mother was likely heat-stressed. 

In a recent viral video of Punch an older monkey was seen violently thrashing him around, causing him to scurry back to his stuffed mother for safety and comfort. The zoo issued a statement encouraging people not to be too alarmed.

“While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength,” the zoo said about the recent incident, according to USA Today. “When you observe these disciplinary behaviors from other troop members toward Punch, when he tries to communicate with them, we would like you to support Punch’s efforts, rather than feel sorry for him.”

All hope is not lost for Punch, but there are still no guarantees that he’ll grow up to be accepted by others in his group at the zoo.

“Hopefully it’ll end up okay and he’ll be part of the group, but he’ll have to integrate and learn these behaviors, or else he’ll be kind of like a messed up, weird little guy who doesn’t learn how to be a proper monkey,” Litchfield told Australia’s ABC.

Hang in there, buddy. We’re rooting for you.