Japanese Macaque: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Monkeys and Lemurs · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. A female named Imo began washing sweet potatoes in river water, then dipping them in salty seawater. Over time her troop copied her.
2. Japanese macaques are the northernmost-living non-human primates.
3. Their thick coat lets them endure temperatures as low as -20 °C, in winters where snow blankets the ground for months.
4. They are surprisingly strong swimmers, recorded covering more than half a kilometer in water.
5. Male Japanese macaques average 11.3 kg and stand about 57 cm tall, while females average 8.4 kg.

The quiz

1. What did Imo do with sweet potatoes?

• Washed them, then dipped them in seawater (correct)
• Buried them for winter
• Cooked them in hot springs
• Peeled them with her teeth

Imo washed sweet potatoes in river water, then dipped them in salty seawater.

2. What title do Japanese macaques hold?

• Largest monkey in the world
• Northernmost-living non-human primate (correct)
• Fastest climbing primate
• Smallest monkey in the world

They hold the title of northernmost-living non-human primate.

3. How cold can they endure?

• Only down to 5 °C
• Only down to 0 °C
• As low as -70 °C
• As low as -20 °C (correct)

Their thick coat lets them endure temperatures as low as -20 °C.

4. How far have macaques been recorded swimming?

• About ten metres
• They never swim
• More than half a kilometer (correct)
• Exactly one step

Individuals have been recorded covering more than half a kilometer in water.

5. About how much do females weigh on average?

• 1.4 kg
• 8.4 kg (correct)
• 18.4 kg
• 84 kg

Females average 8.4 kg, while males average 11.3 kg.

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