An American man wearing a costume broke into a Japanese zoo enclosure over the weekend that houses Punch, a baby macaque who became a global internet sensation earlier this year for his bond with a plush orangutan toy, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
The Ichikawa Zoo posted about the incident on X, noting that two individuals were taken into police custody.
The Ichikawa Police Department identified the suspects as Reid Jahnai Dayson, a 24-year-old university student, and Neal Jabahri Duan, a 27-year-old singer, CBS News reported. Dayson allegedly climbed into the enclosure while Duan filmed the incident, according to police.
Social media footage showed an individual climbing the fence wearing a business suit, yellow gloves and a large smiley-face head with sunglasses. According to The Japan Times, the man did not get close to the monkeys and was quickly detained by zoo staff.
Both men face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they deny, according to CBS News. At the time of their arrest, neither man carried formal identification and both initially attempted to hide their identities from authorities, CBS News reported.
The zoo conducted safety checks on the animals and the habitat, later reporting that no abnormalities or injuries were found.
In response to the break-in, zoo officials and Ichikawa City representatives have discussed enforcing a filming ban at Saruyama, the monkey mountain section where Punch resides. The zoo announced on X that it will implement expanded viewing restrictions, install intrusion-prevention netting and launch constant patrols in the area.
Punch gained a loyal global fanbase after photos of him clutching an Ikea plush orangutan for comfort after being abandoned by his mother circulated online. The recent break-in to his enclosure has prompted response from users online, with one Punch fan writing they supported the zoo’s new measures to protect the animals, adding, “Respect the zoo. Respect the rules. Protect Punch.”