TOKYO - A bilingual guide for donations to Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, known for the viral baby Japanese macaque named Punch, has been released this week by the municipal government, in an effort to counter scams by fake social media accounts and the online sale of unofficial merchandise.
The "#GanbarePunch Supporters Guide," available on the official website of Ichikawa in Japanese and English, introduces proper donation methods, such as domestic and international bank transfers, as well as the zoo's official stickers on the LINE messaging app.
The guide explains that the money received will be used to improve the aging monkey enclosure and other zoo facilities.
Punch has become a major tourist attraction as images of him clinging to an orangutan plushie he received after being abandoned by his mother went viral.
While newborn monkeys usually cling to their mothers for security, Punch, who was raised by zookeepers through artificial feeding, has to socialize in the monkey enclosure by himself, and his efforts have touched many people's hearts.
In the current fiscal year ending this month, the number of visitors to the zoo topped 300,000 for the first time.
"Our priority is for Punch to be able to blend into the group. We hope everyone will watch over Punch warmly as he grows," a zookeeper said.
The city said it found fake online accounts posing as zookeepers to solicit donations and unofficial sales of Punch-related merchandise.
