Macaca fuscata, known as the Japanese macaque or snow monkey, is native to Japan and easily recognized by its bare, reddish face and dense winter coat — an adaptation that makes it one of the most cold-hardy primates on Earth, though it copes poorly with heat and has very limited ability to sweat.
At Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, this species had been on public display since 1932 in the zoo’s iconic "Monkey Mountain" (サル山, Saruyama), which remained largely unchanged for 92 years. This photograph was taken there in 2024, shortly before the exhibit’s long history came to a close: on November 19, 2024, the last macaques were withdrawn from Monkey Mountain, and the historic exhibit was discontinued ahead of the structure’s demolition.
The zoo has since confirmed that the group of 35 Japanese macaques, originally brought from the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture in 2010 after conflicts with agriculture in their home region put them at risk of culling, is being cared for in a temporary, non-public enclosure while a new habitat is designed and built. As of mid-2026, no public exhibit or reopening date had been announced; staff have described ongoing welfare measures for the animals in the meantime, including feeding puzzles, shade structures, and enrichment items such as fire hoses and hammocks. The uppermost section of the original artificial rock was preserved and now stands as a historical marker in front of the on-site Saruyama Kitchen restaurant.
Source: Tokyo Zoological Park Society — "The current state of Japanese Macaque that used to live on the monkey mountain" (June 25, 2026).
• Macaco japones, macaco de cara roja
• Japanese macaque, snow monkey
• ニホンザル
Scientific classification:
Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Primates
Suborder:Haplorhini
Infraorder:Simiiformes
Family:Cercopithecidae
Genus:Macaca
Species:M. fuscata
Ueno Zoological Gardens, Taito, Tokyo, Japan
Camera: Canon EOS 77D / 9000D
Lens: Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary
Capture Information:
Focal Length: 200.0 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/320
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 200
Photo Taken: April 12, 2024
High resolution
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