SNOW MONKEYS SOAK IN RELAXING HOT SPRINGS<br />WITH PIX AND VID<br />By Shuk Yee Tsang<br />Checkout these snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs, as heavy snow blankets their mountain home.<br />Wildlife photographer Sean Weekly, from Bristol, UK, captured the dramatic scenes in Hells Valley, Japan, where the Japanese macaques reside.<br />The troop can often be found escaping the extreme weather by gathering in steaming hot springs,<br />The mountain-dwelling macaques huddle together in the steaming pools, soaking up the warmth.<br />With -15°C temperatures and 35cm of snow in a single day, the brutal conditions made these some of Sean’s toughest images to capture. <br />Sean said: “It was one of the toughest conditions I’ve photographed in, with temperatures at –15°C and a huge snowfall in just one day.<br />“The snow monkeys are incredible to watch, how they adapt to such extremes and still find ways to keep warm and socialise.<br />“I was trying to capture not only their behaviour, but also the harsh climate they live in. Hopefully these images show both sides.<br />“The feedback I’ve had has been lovely, people are fascinated by just how resilient these animals are.”<br />ENDS
