THERMOREGULATION OF THE JAPANESE MACAQUE LIVING IN A SNOWY MOUNTAIN AREA

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Abstract
The thermoregulatory responses were studied in 9 Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) living in a snowy mountain area in Hell valley (Japan) in late Jan. 1975. At about the same time, a laboratory study was made on 4 Japanese macaques reared in mild climate in an outdoor cage in Inuyama City. In the Hell Valley (HV) monkeys, no significant change in metabolic rate was observed at Ta [ambient temperature] between -1.4 and 28.3.degree. C, while the rectal temperature was maintained at normal level. In the cold environment, the skin temperatures of HV monkeys were significantly higher than those of the monkeys living indoors previously studied. Similar patterns of metabolic and thermal responses were observed in Inuyama monkeys living outdoors, but to a lesser degree. The hair on the back and abdomen in the HV monkeys was significantly longer than that of Inuyaja monkeys living indoors. The thick fur of HV monkeys may account for the thermoregulatory responses of the Japanese macaque in snowy mountain areas.

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