Name this monkey species which congregate at the mountain onsens.
Lion Tailed Macaque
Red Baboon
Nagano snow monkey
Brown Mane Macaque
Answer: Nagano snow monkey
The Japanese Macaque, better known as the snow monkey, is a native species and lives in the mountains of the Nagano prefecture. Nagano snow monkeys survive the tough winters (sub-zero temperatures) by grouping around natural hot springs.
Individuals have brownish grey fur, pinkish-red faces, and short tails.
Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park, located in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, is famous for its heavy snowfalls and its large population of the snow monkeys. A man-made hot spring is made here for the large population of monkeys who come to bathe at the spot. Snow monkeys go down to the valley during the winter and sit in the warm waters of the onsen (hot springs of Japan).
The best season to visit the snow monkeys is December to March.
The snow monkeys are found on three of the four main Japanese islands: Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
It is believed that the unique behavior of soaking in the hot spring is one that was learned through watching humans do the same. The monkeys observed humans enjoying the outdoor ‘onsen’ (natural hot spring) at a nearby guesthouse called Korakukan. Through watching humans soak in the onsen, the monkeys became curious about the behavior.
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