Snow monkey family
Photos © Wolfgang Kaehler, phototours.us
After a very cold night sleeping on our futons—we later discovered how to work the heater–we awoke to find a couple of the snow monkeys hunched over, sleeping outside the ryokan window. We ate fried rice and eggs and then stomped up the trail to the entrance to Jigokudani, the snow monkey park. Up the river at a hot spring, the snow monkeys were already busy beginning their day. They fed on seeds, spread by the park service, warmed in the hot spring, and preened each other, meticulously searching for lice. By some gentle rapids, babies scampered after one another, up and down a hillside and used a bar near a little bridge as their own jungle gym. Occasional scuffles broke out between males. Siblings watched over the smallest youngsters, while others scrambled up the hillside, sending rocks tumbling below. Our photographers were delighted to catch all the monkey behavior! In the afternoon, as I read in my room at the ryokan, a monkey came up to the window beside me, sat down, and stared at me. Maybe he was as curious about my behavior as we have been of his!
Snow monkey portrait
Snow monkey
Snow monkey in the onzen
Snow monkey grooming time
It is getting crowded at the Snow monkey onzen
Snow monkey with baby