IKEA Stores Can’t Keep Orangutan Plush on Shelves After Baby Monkey Punch Captures Hearts

IKEA Stores Can’t Keep Orangutan Plush on Shelves After Baby Monkey Punch Captures Hearts https://ift.tt/IcCYj8N

The stuffed toy seen with the orphaned macaque at a Japanese zoo is suddenly in high demand

Punch with his plush; DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plush sold by IKEA
Credit: JIJI PRESS / AFP via Getty; IKEA

NEED TO KNOW

• The IKEA orangutan plush, seen with baby monkey Punch, is selling out in stores
• The toy helped the orphaned macaque learn to cling, a key survival behavior
• One IKEA location says demand surged as fans began searching for the plush

A stuffed orangutan toy has become unexpectedly hard to find at some IKEA stores — thanks to a baby monkey named Punch.

The plush, which appears in videos of the young macaque at a zoo near Tokyo, has been flying off shelves as viewers try to buy the same toy seen in the clips.

Punch was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, and zookeepers introduced a stuffed animal to help him practice clinging — an instinctive behavior baby macaques usually learn by holding onto their mothers.

Punch with his stuffed orangutan toy from IKEA
Credit: JIJI PRESS / AFP via Getty

In photos and videos shared online, Punch can often be seen carrying the toy with him, hugging it as he explores and gradually begins interacting with the other monkeys in his troop. The stuffed animal he bonded with is the DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plush sold by IKEA.

According to reporting from ABC4, one store in Draper, Utah, says demand for the toy quickly surged as Punch’s story gained attention. “We sold out in the Utah market and continue to stay sold out,” Andrea Rivers, local marketing leader for IKEA in Draper, told the outlet. “We can’t keep them in because people are ordering through our Click & Collect online.”

Rivers told ABC4 that employees have also been following Punch’s story themselves. “IKEA believes play is such an important part of life,” she said. “That’s why we’re thrilled to see the enthusiasm from children and adults alike as they come together to support wildlife and learn more about the world’s beautiful and endangered species, including orangutans and chimpanzees.”

With the orangutan plush difficult to find in some places, shoppers have started turning to another primate toy offered by the retailer.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to Rivers, IKEA’s SANDLÖPARE chimpanzee plush has become a popular alternative for customers who can’t get their hands on Punch’s favorite toy. “Inspiring curiosity, compassion, and action for animals is deeply aligned with our values,” Rivers told ABC4. “And we’re proud to help foster a love for nature that spans generations.”

Meanwhile, Punch continues adjusting to life with the other monkeys at the zoo — often still seen with the toy that helped him learn an essential skill in his earliest days.