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Japanese macaque
The adorable primates of Japan
Information about Japanese macaque
Among the various species of animals you can encounter in Japan, one of the cutest (and most photographed by visitors!) is the Japanese macaque. Easy to recognize by their pinkish face and thick, light-colored fur, the primate have a very interesting and complex social structure and are often found huddling together to keep warm of in hot springs.
This primate exists only in Japan (on all three main islands except Hokkaido) and is quite common to encounter. There are around 50000 individuals remaining today in Japan, their primarily threat being humans, as they are often killed by farmers when they approach livestock and crops.
While traveling all the way in Japan with Japaventura, the animals can be seen roaming around on several occasions, the easiest place to find them is the Iwatayama Monkey Park that you can visit at the end of the day in Arashiyama.
Interesting facts about Japanese macaque
The Japanese macaque is an absolute omnivore and would do anything for food! Their diet consists of barks, twigs, fruit, insects, eggs and small mammals. When you meet them in Japan, be careful with the snacks you may have in your bag! Not only they are hungry and happy to try new food, but they are also clever enough to open your bag and steal it!
These primates enjoy spending time in the water and are excellent swimmers. They have been reported to swim up to half a kilometer, and the ones living in the mountains of Nagano are remarkable for their behavior of soaking in the hot springs – the only monkeys known to do so in the entire world. A recent study from Science Daily has discovered that the Japanese macaque enjoy the hot springs for the same reasons humans do so: it helps them cope with cold weather and allows them to relax in cold days in the mountains of Nagano.
Something happened in 2021 that made history among the Japanese macaque: for the first time in recorded history, a female snow monkey has assumed the lead of her herd. A female leading a herd of monkeys is an unusual phenomenon in the primate world, it has been observed in the Takasakiyama natural reserve, in Beppu. She has conquered the lead of the herd and now presents unusual behaviours for a female monkey, but she has been accepted by the others. Something unusual and revolutionary for a herd of monkeys!
Pictures of Japanese macaque
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