14th February: Nagano – Snow monkeys (Day 2)

After photographing the landscape and the serow (see previous post), I turned my attention to the macaques in their hot pool.

Macaques and their reflections through the heat haze of the hot pool.

A clearer shot with wind blowing the steam away.

For more information on the monkeys and their environment, see the previous three posts.

The monkeys are quite unconcerned by the presence of humans and people can get very close to them. At various times of the day there were quite a few people milling around the pool.

Five images of a mother and her youngster.

It can be difficult to taker wider shots at the pool without getting other people in them.

Macaques turning up for the family photo shoot in the outdoor studio.

Mutual grooming is a very important social ritual.