Two Americans Charged After Entering Viral Monkey Punch Enclosure at Japanese Zoo

Two Americans were arrested Sunday after one of them jumped into the monkey enclosure at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Garden east of Tokyo. m. Sunday, according to the Ichikawa Police Department. Neal Jabahri Duan, 27, filmed the entry from outside.

Both men face charges of obstructing a business by force, the Chiba Prefecture police website states. Dayson told police he entered the enclosure because he lost a bet on soccer. Video footage shows the intruder walking inside the enclosure while monkeys moved to a rock structure. A zoo employee then pulled the man aside.

Zoo officials said no abnormalities were observed in the animals after the incident. The enclosure houses 60 monkeys. Takashi Yasunaga, head of Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Garden, told ABC News the zoo remained open and hosted around 600 visitors that day.

"We kept going, despite what happened," Yasunaga said. "This kind of thing has never happened to us before. Please keep supporting us. " The zoo is adding security patrols, installing intrusion prevention nets, and expanding viewing restrictions. Officials said the safety and health of the animals remains the priority.

Punch a male Japanese macaque born July 26, 2025, gained attention earlier this year after videos showed him bonding with an orangutan plush toy following rejection by his mother. The zoo is considering a total ban on filming at the monkey enclosure.