Punch.
The baby macaque at Japan’s Ichikawa Zoo was abandoned, at birth, by his mother last year. But the internet rushed to adopt him – watching as he emotionally bonded with a plushie orangutan (which he has since outgrown) and formed friendships with his macaque buddies. Did you use #HangInTherePunch as a motto in your own difficult moments? Did we just give you an idea?
Billy, Eric, Elsie, Jade, and Tyson.
Two words: Swearing parrots. This gang of African Greys at the UK’s Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, have traded profanity with visitors, and they’re remarkably potty-mouthed. In 2020, the zoo management separated the parrots within the premises, hoping to protect children from picking up their colourful vocabulary. The plan flopped. The OG five have taught other birds to say F-off.
Emily and Harriet.
Around 2018-19, two donkeys showed the world that they could sing better than many humans. Emily, a rescue at a shelter in Pune; and Harriet from Galway, Ireland, became internet sensations. Videos of their melodic, operatic high-pitched braying, different from usual hee-haws, garnered millions of views online. Emily sings when she spots her food bucket. The people are clamouring for a bray-off.
Grumpy Cat.
Tardar Sauce shot to fame when her humans shared pictures of her in 2012. The Arizonian mixed-breed domestic shorthair has a resting-sour-puss expression, thanks to feline dwarfism and an underbite, which also caused her flat face. She became an instant meme to express disappointment and annoyance. She passed in 2019. RIP, GC, we still use pics of you when we have to describe a bad date.
Cinnamon.
In 2024, a year-old capybara escaped her enclosure at England’s Telford Hoo Zoo, and evaded capture for a week. As a dozen experts kept up the search, Cinnamon was spotted frolicking in a field and woodland. Unperturbed, zoo owner Will Dorrell commented that she’s “probably living her best life.” She was eventually reunited with her zoo family, and probably hasn’t watched the 2025 animated short film about her adventure.
Harambe.
In 2016, a three-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo in the USA. Harambe, the 200-kg endangered resident, unfamiliar with human kids, dragged him through the enclosure. It prompted zoo security to shoot him and protect the child. The boy sustained minor injuries. Harambe, however, died. He had turned 17 the day before. International backlash followed. He’s still the poster gorilla for ethical zoo safety.
Bizkit.
Bizkit could have won the Oscar for acting, if he were indeed acting. The American Jack Russell Terrier shot to stardom in 2009 after a video of him sleep-walking, galloping and crashing into a wall went viral. Biz appeared on Animal Planet and other shows. No one knew if he was dreaming or having a seizure in that video. He certainly wouldn’t tell. But there are moments when we all want Bizkit’s manic energy.
Emmanuel Todd Lopez.
Aka, “Emmanuel, don’t do it!”. The emu can’t resist photobombing Taylor Blake’s farm-life videos in Florida, USA. He has shoved his head into the frame mid-recording, toppled the camera, danced around in the background for no reason. He doesn’t love the camera, Blake says. He just hates phones. He grew so famous, he was even the subject of a death hoax in 2022.
Peanut.
Bow to the martyr. The orphaned eastern grey squirrel, raised by Mark Longo in his NYC home for seven years, had a dedicated SM page. Tragically, in 2024, Peanut and his raccoon friend, Fred, were seized for rabies testing after a reported bite, and euthanised. The test results were negative. Amidst massive online outrage and political uproar, Peanut’s owner has filed a lawsuit against the state.
Sphen and Magic.
The male gentoo penguins at Australia’s Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, are LGBTQ icons, setting couple goals with their courtship, bonding and parenting. After they took care of a ‘dummy’ egg, the staff entrusted them with a real egg in 2018. They successfully hatched a chick, Lara, and adopted a second, Clancy, in 2020. Sphen died, age 11, in 2024, prompting Magic and other penguins to make sounds so mournful, it made the internet cry.
