SNOW MONKEYS SOAK IN RELAXING HOT SPRINGS
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
Checkout these snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs, as heavy snow blankets their mountain home.
Wildlife photographer Sean Weekly, from Bristol, UK, captured the dramatic scenes in Hells Valley, Japan, where the Japanese macaques reside.
The troop can often be found escaping the extreme weather by gathering in steaming hot springs,
The mountain-dwelling macaques huddle together in the steaming pools, soaking up the warmth.
With -15°C temperatures and 35cm of snow in a single day, the brutal conditions made these some of Sean’s toughest images to capture.
Sean said: “It was one of the toughest conditions I’ve photographed in, with temperatures at –15°C and a huge snowfall in just one day.
“The snow monkeys are incredible to watch, how they adapt to such extremes and still find ways to keep warm and socialise.
“I was trying to capture not only their behaviour, but also the harsh climate they live in. Hopefully these images show both sides.
“The feedback I’ve had has been lovely, people are fascinated by just how resilient these animals are.”
ENDS
