Japanese macaque Japanese macaque The Japanese macaque (; "Macaca fuscata"), also known as the snow monkey, is a terrestrial Old World monkey species that is native to Japan. They get their name "snow monkey" because they live in areas where snow covers the ground for months each year – no other nonhuman primate is more northern-living, nor lives in a colder climate. Individuals have brown-grey fur, red faces, and short tails. Two subspecies are known. In Japan, the species is known as Nihonzaru (ニホンザル, a combination of "Nihon" 日本 "Japan" + "saru" 猿 "monkey") to distinguish it from other primates, but the
Japanese macaque to 28 years and females up to 32 years. Japanese macaques live in matrilineal societies, and females stay in their natal groups for life, while males move out before they are sexually mature. Macaque groups tend to contain a number of adults of both sexes. In addition, a Japanese macaque troop contains several matrilines. These matrilines may exist in a dominance hierarchy with all members of a specific group ranking over members of a lower-ranking group. Temporary all-male groups also exist, composed of those that have recently left their natal groups and are about to transfer to another group. However,