May has been another great month in the Snow Monkey Park with the introduction of the first baby monkeys of 2019! At first slow to emerge as their nervous mums inch back into the park, it’s now baby overload with seemingly every second monkey carrying an adorable furry bundle tight in their arms.
Among them, visitors have spotted a most unique sight – a large female monkey carrying two babies. To many visitors, it would appear that this lucky mum has given birth to twins. But the truth is a little more dramatic and less charming.
The fact is that this monkey, named Tokkuri, has indeed given birth to one baby but also stolen the other from another mother. While this behaviour is very unusual, it isn’t the first time that Tokkuri has done this having a history of previously taking a baby from another mother! Given her high status within the troop, the other mother doesn’t dare take her baby back from Tokkuri so for the time being, she has a tight grip on both young monkeys.
With numerous babies now in the park, it’s one of the best times of year to visit. Most are still in their first weeks of life but as they mature into their second month, they are tentatively reaching-out to explore their new worldyou with their mums slowly relaxing and letting them venture a little further. It’s a goregous sight to see, as their tiny fingers grab onto anything they can reach and big glassy eyes stare-out at the surroudning world.
For the rest of the troop, life goes on more-or-less unchanged as they scurry here and there and enjoy the increasing warmth of mid-spring. With lush vegetation now starting to cover the park again, the monkeys really do seem satisfied and have forgotten the long, harsh winter as they rest in the shade or forage for food.
Snow Monkey Resorts is Nagano’s No.1 tour operator offering fun and immersive tours to the monkey park and the region’s most popular destinations and activities! Joining one of our tours is a great way to get the most out of your visit to the Snow Monkey Park and Nagano, as our locally-based English-speaking guides introduce you to everything that make the monkeys and their mountain home of Nagano so unique!