Japanese Macaque
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Infraorder
Genus
SPECIES
Macaca fuscata
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
6.3-32 years
Weight
8-11
17.6-24.2
kglbs
kg lbs 
Height
523-570
20.6-22.4
mminch
mm inch 
Length
57-52.3
22.4-20.6
cminch
cm inch 

The Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) is a terrestrial Old World monkey species. Colloquially, they are referred to as "snow monkeys" because some live in areas where snow covers the ground for months each year - no other non-human primate is more northern-living, nor lives in a colder climate. In Japan, these monkeys are known as Nihonzaru (Nihon "Japan" + saru "monkey") to distinguish them from other primates, but Japanese macaques are very familiar in Japan, so when Japanese people simply say saru, they usually have in mind the Japanese macaque.

Appearance

Japanese macaques have a pinkish face and posterior. The rest of their body is covered in brown or greyish hair. Their coat is well-adapted to the cold and its thickness increases as temperatures decrease. The macaque can cope with temperatures as low as −20 °C (−4 °F). Macaques mostly move on all fours and are known to leap.

Video

Distribution

Geography

Japanese macaques are found on three of the four main Japanese islands: Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. They inhabit subtropical forests in the southern part of their range and subarctic forests in mountainous areas in the northern part of their range. They can be found in both warm and cool forests, such as the deciduous forests of central and northern Japan and the broadleaf evergreen forests in the southwest of the islands.

Japanese Macaque habitat map
Japanese Macaque habitat map
Japanese Macaque
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Habits and Lifestyle

Japanese macaques live in groups of 20-30, led by the dominant male. Females stay in their birth group for life, but males leave the group before sexual maturity. Females spend more of their time in trees, while males spend most of their time on the ground. The dominant male has a role in siring young, deciding where the troop should go, and protecting the troop from predators and other macaque troops. Japanese macaques feel at home both in trees and on the ground. Females spend more time in the trees and males spend more time on the ground. They are very good swimmers, being able to swim over half a kilometer, and are known to leap. During feeding or moving, Japanese macaques often emit "coos". These most likely serve to keep the troop together and strengthen social relations between females. Coos are also uttered before grooming along with "girney" calls. Japanese macaques also have alarm calls for alerting to danger, and threat calls heard during aggressive encounters.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Japanese macaques are omnivores. Their diet includes smaller animals and plants, mainly fruits, berries, seeds, flowers, and young leaves. They also eat insects, crabs, and bird eggs during the winter months.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
September-April
PREGNANCY DURATION
6 months
BABY CARRYING
1 infant
INDEPENDENT AGE
18 months
BABY NAME
infant

Japanese macaques are polygynadrous (promiscuous) meaning that both the males and females have multiple partners during each breeding season, which lasts 4 to 5 months between September and April. Females usually choose a mate by his rank. Births occur between March and September, after a gestation period lasting 6 months. Females usually give birth on the ground and infants are born with dark-brown hair. They consume their first solid food at 5 to 6 weeks old and can forage independently from their mothers by 7 weeks. Females carry their infants on their bellies for their first 4 weeks. After this time, they carry infants on their backs, as well. Infants continue to be carried past a year. Full weaning usually occurs when infants are 18 months old.

Population

Population threats

Japanese macaques face no major threats at the species level. However, around 10,000 macaques are killed by farmers every year, protecting their crops and livestock.

Population number

According to IUCN Red List, the Japanese macaque is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable. A study in 1989 estimated the total population of wild Japanese macaques to be 114,431 individuals.

Ecological niche

Japanese macaques consume a variety of insects and plants and act as seed dispersers. They compete for some plants with Sika deer on Kinkazan Island, but when they climb trees to get the most energy-sufficient leaves, in the process they knock down leaves, which the Sika deer eat. Japanese macaque serves as an important prey species for mountain hawk-eagles, Japanese wolves, and raccoon dogs.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Macaques are excellent swimmers and have been reported to swim a distance of more than half a kilometer.
  • In snowy areas Japanese macaques sleep up in deciduous trees to avoid snow falling on them.
  • Young macaques play with stones, fight and swing in trees. When there is snow around, they will make snowballs, rolling them about until they become too large or break up.
  • They wash their food before eating it. Only humans and raccoons do the same.
  • One way Japanese macaques cope with the cold is to soak in volcanic hot springs, spending about 30 minutes per day in them. This practice was first observed about 40 years. A monkey had seen humans soaking in the hot springs and passed the idea on to the troop.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Japanese Macaque Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_macaque
2. Japanese Macaque on the IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12552/0

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