Punch the Monkey!

From 5 Good News Stories - happiness and fun by Caloroga Shark Media / Happiness Good News Lab

September 10, 2026 · 7 min

About this episode

Johnny Mac shares five uplifting news stories including a monkey's viral comfort role and a man's legal victory over a parking fee.

Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: Punch, a Japanese zoo monkey abandoned by his mother and rejected by other monkeys, went viral with a stuffed toy and now comforts and protects younger monkeys struggling to adjust, acting like a big brother. In England, 76-year-old John fought a parking company for over two years over a 90p fee after a machine printed only part of his plate; a judge dismissed the company’s £277 claim, awarded John £289.50 plus expenses, and he advised drivers to keep tickets and records. Nevada wildlife officials hired Karelian Bear Dogs Badger and Banjo to chase black bears away from neighborhoods as the population rebounded to about 700. WWF reported monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rose to about 7.2 acres in 2025–2026, up from 4.4, though still far below 1990s levels. NASA extended Voyager 2’s life by powering down integrated systems to save energy. 00:10 Punch the Monkey Hero 01:18 Ninety Cent Ticket Win 02:56 Dogs Chase Black Bears 03:57 Monarch Butterfly Rebound 05:09 Voyager 2 Power Save Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support . 5 Good News Stories is a…

People in this episode

Host: Johnny Mac

Topics covered

animal welfare
legal victory
wildlife management
environmental conservation
space exploration

Keywords

monkey
legal case
wildlife
butterflies
NASA
good news

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: WWF, NASA

Places: Japan, England, Nevada