Japanese macaque

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Japanese macaque is a medium-sized macaque species with an almost naked pink face, which turns red during oestrus, and is surrounded by a moderately long, yellowis-brown beard. The blackish-broewn crown-hairs are directed backeards and are shorter than those of nape and shoulders, the ventral surface of the body contrastingly paler than the back, and a short tufted tail.

The head-body length is 50-65 cm in males and 47-60 cm in frmales. The tail measures 7 to 9 cm. Males reach a body-weight of up to 11.2 kg, females are considerbly lighter and average about 4.6 kg.

Newborns are uniformly dark with a flesh-coloured face.

Did you know?
that Japanese macaques invent and transmit new behaviour through imitational learning? They have learned various behaviours, such as potato washing, wheat washing, swimming and some others. Potato washing was first started by a young female macaque named “Imo” (means sweet potato in Japanese) in 1953. Her behaviour was first imitated by her siblings and mother, then later by all members of the troop except the leader of the troop. At first potato washing was simply used to wash off the sand, but the behaviour evolved to season the potato with salty sea water.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	PRIMATES
Suborder	SIMIAE
Family	CERCOPITHECIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Macaca fuscata
Name (English)	Japanese macaque
Name (French)	Macaque japonais
Name (German)	Rotsgesichtsmakak
Name (Spanish)	Macaco Japonés
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Yosemite

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Japan, introduced to Texas, USA
Habitat	Different forest types
Wild population	M. fuscata yakui, (found only on the island of Yaku): 3,500 (1996) M. fuscata fuscata: > 100'000 (1998)
Zoo population	673 reported to ISIS (2006), but this species is also kept for medical researches

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 31 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

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Photo Copyright by
C. Burnett

Why do zoos keep this animal

Zoos keep Japanese macaques primarily for educational purposes, because of their interesting social life, their adaptation to a cold climate, their swimming abilities and food-washing behaviour.

As ambassadors for e.g. the Hakusan National Park, Japanese macaques may be kept in mixed exhibits with Asiatic black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus), or sika (Cervus nippon) or Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus).

How this animal should be kept

Japanese macaques are social animals and should be kept in groups. They are cold-resistant. For a group of up to five adults with their offspring an outdoor enclosure of at least 100 m²/3 m high should be provided, but preferably the monkeys should be kept in a much larger enclosure, with natural vegetation, and could be confined by water moats or electrified fences. The enclosures must have ample climbing and swaying opportunities, such as live or dead trees, branches, ropes, nets, hammocks, and boards at different levels. An additional shelter/separation cage of sufficient size is required.

Food should be offered at several places and at least twice per day. It should consist of a variety of fruit and vegetables, seeds and nuts, branches in leaf as well as some animal protein.