The story of Punch, a baby macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo, has sparked global attention, and renewed debate over the ethics of keeping animals in captivity. Punch, who was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth in July, became an internet sensation after photos showed him being bullied by other monkeys and clinging to a stuffed orangutan toy for comfort. The images quickly spread online under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, drawing thousands of visitors to the zoo. Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the monkey’s situation highlights what it describes as the cruelty of zoos. “Zoos are not sanctuaries, they are places where animals are confined, deprived of autonomy, and denied the complex environments and social lives they w...