Not Quite Wild: Snow Monkeys

Shot on Location:

Jigokudani Park, Japan 2007 near Nagano with the Canon 1Ds II and 70-200 f/2.8

The Japanese snow monkey, also known as the Japanese macaque, has a long history in Japanese arts and history. They are victims of shrinking habitats and are listed as a threatened species.

Snow monkeys have very expressive eyes. They can be found in four mountain regions of Japan but the most popular area is the central region in the Nagano mountains. The area has natural hot springs where the monkeys love to soak and bathe during the cold winter months.

These monkeys are wild but come down from the mountains because the Inn where we stay leaves food out for them and the monkeys loves warming up in the man-made baths.