India, Feb. 23 -- Punch, a young Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa Zoo near Tokyo, captured hearts after being abandoned by his mother. This little, cute animal went viral for all the wrong reasons! And while the world worried about him being abandoned and alone, zookeepers introduced him to an IKEA orangutan plush toy for comfort. What followed was unexpectedly moving. The tiny macaque clung to that plush orangutan with the sort of focus that made the world pause and cheer and even cry a little.

Was it tender? Yes. It was also deeply awakening - reminding us how even humans sometimes tend to rely on plushies and soft toys for emotional support.

In simple terms, your stress response eases. When the body feels held, it is mo...