Yuji, the Baby Patas Monkey Clinging to a Stuffed Toy: Everything You Need to Know
A 6-week-old baby patas monkey named Yuji is stealing hearts after videos and photos surfaced of him bonding with a stuffed animal at the Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico. The tiny monkey — who weighs just 1.4 pounds — clings to a stuffed dog every day after his own mother was unable to care for him, according to Reuters.
Yuji’s story has drawn comparisons to Punch, a Japanese macaque that went viral for clinging to a stuffed orangutan after being rejected by his mother. But Yuji’s situation has its own details worth understanding, from how he ended up in assisted care to when he might join other monkeys. Here’s everything you need to know.
Why Was Baby Monkey Yuji Rejected by His Mother?
Yuji was born on March 3 at the Guadalajara Zoo in Guadalajara, Mexico. Shortly after giving birth, his mother, Kamaria — a first-time parent — began acting unusually and struggled to hold her baby properly. Because the infant couldn’t cling to her, zoo staff stepped in and separated them. Kamaria was unable to form a maternal bond with her newborn.
Yuji, who weighed under a pound at birth, needed urgent care. He was placed in an incubator to regulate his body temperature and protect his health. This marked the beginning of his assisted rearing, a method zoos use to help vulnerable newborns survive and develop properly.
How Yuji Is Being Cared for at the Guadalajara Zoo
Yuji is being looked after at the Guadalajara Zoo’s Integral Centre of Animal Medicine and Wellbeing, known as CIMBA. A team of 12 veterinarians and biologists care for him, according to AP News. He hasn’t yet interacted physically with other monkeys and spends most of his time in a crate at the animal care center.
In his early weeks, Yuji was monitored constantly and fed fortified milk from a bottle. To provide comfort, caregivers gave him a stuffed toy to act as a substitute for his mother. To keep things sanitary, staff rotate between three toys — a dog, a bear and a monkey — so he always has a clean one.
His crate has also been equipped with a small hammock and ropes to encourage physical development. As he’s grown stronger, gained weight and started sleeping longer, his feeding schedule has been adjusted. He now gets four bottles a day, starting at 7 a.m.
When Will Yuji Join Other Patas Monkeys?
There’s no confirmed date yet for when Yuji will be moved to a shared habitat with other patas monkeys. According to veterinarian Iván Reynoso Ruiz, that step will happen once Yuji transitions from a milk-only diet to eating fruits and vegetables — likely when he’s about 6 months old.
Yuji currently weighs 1.4 pounds, a notable gain from his birth weight of under a pound. His growing strength, weight gain and longer sleep patterns are signs of progress as he continues to develop under the watch of his care team at CIMBA.
How Does Yuji Compare to Punch the Japanese Macaque?
Some people have compared Yuji’s story to that of Punch, a young male Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. Punch became internationally known in early 2026 after videos showed him clinging to a stuffed orangutan toy for comfort. Like Yuji, Punch had been abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and was hand-raised by zookeepers who provided the toy as a substitute for maternal contact.
However, Yuji’s situation is different in key ways. Yuji hasn’t yet interacted physically with other monkeys, while Punch — because macaques are highly social animals — initially struggled to integrate with the troop and was often seen being pushed away by other monkeys. That dynamic made Punch’s attachment to the toy especially visible and emotionally resonant for viewers online. His story went viral, drawing widespread emotional reactions and increased visitors to the zoo, while also highlighting how young animals cope with stress and social isolation.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
