Two American men arrested in Japan over zoo stunt involving viral monkey Punch

Two American men have been arrested in Japan over a stunt that saw a man enter the zoo enclosure of Punch, a monkey that has become a global internet sensation.

Images on social media showed a person scaling the enclosure fence at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo in a costume that included a smiley face head with sunglasses.

While the intruder did not get close to the animals, it prompted the monkeys to scatter, according to police.

The men were quickly apprehended by zoo keepers, an Ichikawa Police official told AFP.

One of the men, who identified himself as a 24-year-old college student, was arrested after allegedly climbing over a fence and dropping into a dry moat surrounding the monkey exhibit.

The other man, who allegedly filmed the act, identified himself as a 27-year-old singer.

The two men have been arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business.

But they have both denied the allegations.

The zoo apologised for the concern the incident had caused and said it had filed a police report.

"We will continue to prioritise the safety and health of the animals and take appropriate measures, while strictly addressing any rule violations," Ichikawa Zoo posted on X.

Punch became famous earlier this year after the zoo posted photos of the baby macaque clutching an orangutan soft toy for comfort after being rejected by his mother.

Japanese baby macaques cling to their mothers to feel safe and to build up their muscles.

The zoo looked for an alternative, such as a towel or different soft toy, but Punch chose the long-legged orangutan.

Punch, who was born last July, began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year.

There has been a massive surge in domestic and international visitors to the zoo, driven by Punch's viral fame along with huge online interest.

AFP