Meet Yuji, the 1.4-Pound Baby Monkey Clinging to a Stuffed Dog at Guadalajara Zoo
If you thought the internet had already peaked with Punch the monkey and his stuffed orangutan, allow us to introduce Yuji. He’s a 6-week-old baby patas monkey at the Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico, and videos and photos of him bonding with a plush toy have been melting hearts online. At just 1.4 pounds, he is impossibly small — and he clings to a stuffed dog every single day after his mother was unable to care for him, per Reuters. The images of him curled around that plush dog are exactly as devastating as you’d imagine.
How Baby Monkey Yuji Ended Up in Round-the-Clock Care
Yuji was born on March 3 at the Guadalajara Zoo, but things took a difficult turn almost immediately after his arrival. His mother, Kamaria, a first-time parent, began acting unusually shortly after giving birth and struggled to hold her baby properly. Because the infant couldn’t cling to her on his own, zoo staff stepped in and separated them to protect the newborn.
At just under a pound — Yuji needed urgent care and was placed in an incubator to regulate his body temperature and protect his health. Kamaria was unable to form a maternal bond, per Reuters. That’s when his assisted rearing began, and a caregiver named him Yuji, inspired by a character from Japanese manga.
Yuji the Patas Monkey Has a Rotating Squad of Plush Friends
In his early weeks at the Guadalajara Zoo, Yuji was monitored constantly and fed fortified milk from a bottle. Caregivers gave him a stuffed toy to act as a substitute for his mother, and the tiny patas monkey clings to it daily. His care setup is packed with thoughtful touches from the team looking after him.
To keep things sanitary, staff rotate between three toys — a dog, a bear and a monkey — so he always has a clean one. That means Yuji has a whole rotation of plush friends. His crate also includes 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 to four bottles a day starting at 7 a.m. A team of 12 veterinarians and biologists at the zoo’s Integral Centre of Animal Medicine and Wellbeing, known as CIMBA, look after him, per AP News.
Why Fans Are Comparing Yuji to Punch the Monkey
Some fans have already compared Yuji’s story to that of Punch, another baby monkey who went viral under similar circumstances. Punch, a young male Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, became internationally known in early 2026 after videos showed him clinging to a stuffed orangutan toy for comfort. He had also been abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, and zookeepers hand-raised him and provided the toy as a substitute for maternal contact. His story drew widespread emotional reactions and increased visitors to the zoo.
But Yuji’s situation is different. He hasn’t yet interacted physically with other monkeys and spends most of his time in a crate at CIMBA. Punch, as a macaque in a highly social species, initially struggled to integrate with the troop and was often seen being pushed away by other monkeys, which made his attachment to his toy especially noticeable.
What’s Next for Yuji at the Guadalajara Zoo
There’s no confirmed date yet for when Yuji will be moved to a shared habitat with other patas monkeys at the Guadalajara Zoo. At only 6 weeks old, the tiny primate has significant growing to do before that step can happen. According to veterinarian Iván Reynoso Ruiz, the move will come once Yuji transitions from a milk-only diet to eating fruits and vegetables — likely when he’s about 6 months old.
Not everyone agrees with this approach. Animal rights activist Diana Valencia argues that animals should live and develop in their natural environments, saying they have the right to grow and live where they belong. In response, Ruiz explained that modern zoos play an important role in protecting species facing global threats. He said intervening was necessary to save Yuji’s life, and that without this care, the infant likely wouldn’t have survived in the wild.
For now, Yuji has his hammock, his rotating squad of plush friends and a whole team keeping him healthy.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
