Two Japanese Macaques having fun in the snow!
Did you know Japanese Macaques play with snowballs for fun?!
Japanese Macaques, also known as snow monkeys, are known for their love of playing in the snow. They have been known to make snowballs and play with them for fun.
These snow monkeys have been observed rolling up snowballs, then pushing them down hills just for the heck of it. Others gather lumps of snow in a ball and carry them around, proudly sometimes to the envy of other monkeys who try to steal it!
Snow monkeys are native to Japan, and their love of playing in the snow is thought to be one of the reasons why they are such a popular tourist attraction in the country. Every year, thousands of people visit the Jigokudani Monkey Park in central Japan to see the snow monkeys in their natural habitat.
The snow monkeys are thought to have started playing with snowballs as a way to keep warm in the cold winters. However, it is now believed that they do it purely for fun. They have been known to roll the snowballs down hills, throw them at each other, and even carry them around in their mouths.
Some scientists believe that the snow monkeys’ love of playing with snowballs as a form of social play. It is thought that by playing with snowballs, the monkeys are able to bond with each other and form social relationships.
