There is a large group of Japanese macaques here at Highland Wildlife Park.

We have had great success breeding the species. Between April and July 2020 we welcomed five new arrivals to the troop. In 2022, Nakatomi was born. 

You can help feed and care for our Japanese macaques and other threatened animals around the world by donating today - if you can, please support our Survival Fund.

Fun facts!

• The Japanese macaque or snow monkey is the most northerly living non-human primate
• They are the subject of many Buddhist stories and are represented in the Three Wise Monkeys maxim "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"
• They are well known for bathing in natural hot springs to escape the cold, but this behaviour is unique to macaques in the Nagano mountains
• They live in large social groups known as troops, which have a strict dominance hierarchy. A young female macaque will inherit her mother’s rank

How we're helping

While their numbers are stable Japanese macaques still face a number of threats. Historically, they have been hunted for food and medicine, or killed, legally, as a pest when raiding crop fields.

Our macaques are part of the European Endangered Species Programme.

As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for both the animals here at the park and work to protect endangered species around the world.

From providing genetics expertise and veterinary health, to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.

Find out more about some of our conservation projects.