Trending Now - Two Americans Detained for Monkey Stunt at Japanese Zoo

WHO:

CBS News - The suspects are identified as 24-year-old Reid Jahnai Dayson, a university student, and 27-year-old Neal Jabahri Duan, who claims to be a singer.

WHAT:

CBS News - Two American nationals were arrested for entering the monkey enclosure at Ichikawa City Zoo.

CBS News - The men face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they deny.

Euronews - Images on social media showed one suspect scaling the fence in a costume that included a smiley face head with sunglasses.

WHERE:

CBS News - The incident occurred at Ichikawa City Zoo, located outside Tokyo, Japan.

WHEN:

CBS News - The arrests took place on a Sunday, with police reporting the details on the following Monday.

CBS News - Punch, the baby monkey, was born in July and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year.

WHY:

CBS News - The arrests follow a surge in domestic and international visitors to the zoo, driven by Punch's viral fame.

CBS News - Punch became an internet sensation after the zoo posted photos of him clutching an IKEA plush orangutan for comfort after being rejected by his mother.

HOW:

CBS News - Dayson climbed over a fence and dropped into a dry moat surrounding the monkey exhibit, while Duan filmed the act.

CBS News - The men did not have formal identification and initially lied to police about their names.

(UPDATED May 18, 2026 14:20 UTC)

Two American nationals, 24-year-old Reid Jahnai Dayson and 27-year-old Neal Jabahri Duan, were arrested for entering the monkey enclosure at Ichikawa City Zoo, located outside Tokyo, Japan. The men face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they deny, after Dayson was seen scaling the fence in a costume featuring a smiley face head with sunglasses, while Duan filmed the stunt. This incident follows a surge in visitors to the zoo, largely due to the viral fame of Punch, a baby monkey who gained attention for clutching a plush orangutan after being rejected by his mother.