Video producer John Daub of the series Only in Japan spent a day working at a Snow Monkey Park, specifically the Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden on the Kyushu Island city Õita, Japan. Daub accompanied the park workers as they travelled up into the mountains and over to the hot springs where these adorable macaques congregate. Daub learns that these native primates are hungry little critters who will travel far into town for food if they miss their dinner.
The young ones ride into town on their mother’s backs it’s a lot more fun that way. This is an important part of the job, keeping the monkeys together so they don’t go to surrounding farms. They’re used to coming down to town for breakfast now which keeps farmers happy …the Japanese macaque …what makes them special is that they’re the only native monkey in Japan and they get their name as the snow monkeys because no other primate lives more north than them.
