Wonderbringers Newsletter with Monica Parker
View this email in your browser
Hello Wonderseekers!
Yesterday was a huge cosmic confluence of Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, all manner of planetary alignments not seen in sixty years, with an annular solar eclipse to boot. But it’s going to take me a bit of time to process what, if anything, that all means. So, for this week, just a simple bit of tenderness from the animal kingdom.
Meet Panchi-Kun (also called ‘Punch’), a young Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba, Japan. Sadly, shortly after Panchi’s birth, his mother rejected him, which would be fatal for an infant macaque in the wild. But thankfully, zookeepers stepped in to hand‑rear him, bottle‑feeding and providing him with round‑the‑clock care. Because he lacked maternal contact, keepers gave him an orangutan plushie as a surrogate, and he immediately bonded with his stand-in mom. Images of Panchi have now gone viral, with people all up in their feels, watching him carry the toy everywhere and cuddling it when he feels anxious (#relatable).
Since early 2026, the zookeepers have tried to gradually introduce Panchi into the main macaque troop, but to no avail. He remained fearful, often staying on the sidelines or retreating to his stuffed surrogate Mama when interactions with other monkeys became a bit overwhelming. But maybe all the cosmic alignment has shown Panchi a bit of love, because just yesterday, he appeared to have had his first embrace by another macaque, allowing himself to be groomed by adults and playing more confidently with other members of the troop.
Following on from, it feels like a lovely redemptive arc to Panchi’s story of inclusion. Maybe that’s the lesson Panchi has to offer us: belonging takes time, tenderness, and a little cosmic stardust. May we all find — or offer — that tender embrace of welcome to someone who feels left out. Here’s to tiny steps toward connection this week.
Some wonderbringers for me this week:
9 night sky events to see in February: From a ring-of-fire eclipse to a snow moon.
New biodegradable beads aim to add a green touch to New Orleans Mardi Gras: Plant them and grow okra or sunflowers.
Chimps can weigh evidence and update their beliefs like humans do: Are we the only rational thinkers? New research on our primate cousins suggests otherwise
Based in the UK or Check out these mindfulness retreats near you.
With wonder,
Follow Me
Why am I getting this email?
Good question!
You’re getting this email because you are on HATCH Analytics’s or Monica Parker’s mailing list.
If you don’t want to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe at the bottom.
(We do hope you stick around, though.)
Copyright ©*|CURRENT_YEAR|* Monica C. Parker. All rights reserved.
Want to unsubscribe? That’s ok! We’re sad to see you go, but you’ll still be a part of our Wonderbringer community in spirit.
Mailing address:
10 Colosseum Terrace
London, UK NW1 4EB