Share and Follow
It’s a real jungle affair.
IKEA’s endearing Djungelskog orangutan plush toy has become a hot commodity, with the $20 item now commanding prices over six times its original cost on eBay.
In recent weeks, this cuddly toy has gained immense popularity after being featured in a heartwarming story about a baby monkey facing bullying at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
Punch, a macaque just seven months old, was given the IKEA plushie for solace after experiencing rejection from his mother and other monkeys in his habitat.
Touching images of Punch interacting with the plush toy quickly went viral, leading to a rush that saw the item sell out at IKEA locations across the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
According to local reports, Punch treats the toy like the mother he never had; sleeping with it, eating with it and playing with it.
The attachment to the stuffed animal reportedly not only surprised staff at the zoo but has captured the hearts of people across Japan and the world.
Last week, Petra Fare, President and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA Japan, visited Ichikawa City Zoo to donate multiple replacements of the Djungelskog orangutan soft toy to Punch so that he’s never without a cuddly companion.
It seems online admirers were also inspired, depleting supplies of the soft toy at the Swedish retailer.
One savvy shopper from Allen, Texas, appeared to stock up on 17 of the plushies and is now re-selling them for $51.99 a pop on eBay.
Many people are prepared to pay the inflated price to get their hands on the item, with 12 already sold on Tuesday alone.
One Djungelskog orangutan soft toy is listed on eBay for $129.96.
Meanwhile, thousands of tourists have been flocking to the zoo to catch a glimpse of Punch and his plush toy.
Long lines have formed outside the enclosure, with management saying it’s “something we have never experienced before.’
One person took to X saying: “It is cute to see the little monkey dragging the stuffed animal around but it is very sad at the same time.”
The zoo said Punch is “gradually deepening his interactions with the other monkeys in his group”.
“He has a variety of experiences every day, such as being groomed, messing around with them, and being scolded, and he is learning every day how to live in a group as a monkey!”