1. The World's Northernmost Monkeys Live on Japan's Snowy Shimokita Peninsula
According to materials from the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, the natural range of wild monkeys is generally south of 40 degrees north latitude. However, the Japanese macaques on the Shimokita Peninsula live as far north as approximately 41 degrees 32 minutes north latitude in the forests of Oma Town [1]. This places them about 1.5 degrees of latitude further north than other monkeys. Another encyclopedia also states that Japanese macaques are the northernmost living primates, excluding humans, and that the Shimokita Peninsula is famous as their northern limit [2]. In November 1970, this group and their habitat were designated a National Natural Monument under the name "Monkeys of the Shimokita Peninsula and the Northern Limit of Monkey Habitat" [1]. To understand this northern edge, we must first look at where most monkeys live.
2. Two-Thirds of Primate Species Live in Just Four Countries
Monkeys, gorillas, lemurs, and similar animals are collectively called primates. A study based on 2016 classification lists 504 species in 79 genera [3]. These primates live naturally in 90 countries. Interestingly, two-thirds of these species are concentrated in just four countries: Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo [3]. Two-thirds of 504 species is 336 species. This means that about 4% of the countries hold around 336 species. The regions are Central and South America (171 species), mainland Africa (111 species), Madagascar (103 species), and Asia (119 species). These numbers add up to 504 species. By percentage, Central and South America have about 34%, Asia about 24%, mainland Africa about 22%, and Madagascar about 20% [3]. These figures include all primates, not just monkeys. Because counting methods change with classification, it is best to accept a range of "about 500 species." Even within the tropics, the mix of species differs greatly by region.
3. How Monkeys in the Americas Differ from Monkeys in Africa and Asia
Monkeys in Central and South America are called "New World monkeys." They are found mainly in South America, extending from Central America to tropical Mexico. In the tropical rainforests of the Amazon basin, they developed life in the trees [4]. They are also known as "platyrrhines" (wide-nosed monkeys) because of the wide spacing between their nostrils. Only capuchins, spider monkeys, and howler monkeys in the family Cebidae are said to have prehensile tails that can grasp objects [4]. Monkeys in Africa and Asia are called "Old World monkeys." Their habitats are described as diverse, including not just forests but also savannas, grasslands, and semi-deserts [5]. Japanese macaques are part of this Old World monkey group and are a species adapted to cold regions. Monkeys are not confined only to tropical forests. The diverse environments of Old World monkeys may be related to how Japanese macaques spread to snowy lands, though this is just one way of looking at it, not a definite rule.
4. How Japanese Macaques Survive Snowy Winters by Eating Tree Bark
Japanese macaques are divided into two subspecies: the mainland Japanese macaque (found on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu), and the Yakushima macaques, which live only on Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture [2]. A key feature is their wide environmental range. They live in warm temperate evergreen broadleaf forests and also in deep snow areas of cool temperate deciduous broadleaf forests. In snowy regions, during the coldest period, they rely mainly on tree bark [2]. In mountains where nuts and grass are buried under snow, monkeys choose tree bark as food to survive winter. Living in the cold requires adapting not just to warmth but also to changes in food sources. Group sizes vary by source, ranging from a dozen to about 150 individuals [2]. It is safer to accept that "group sizes vary" rather than picking one number.
5. Monkeys Also Live in High Mountains and in Europe
At Baima Snow Mountain in Yunnan Province, China, there are Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys. Reports say they move between elevations of 3,500 to 4,300 meters (11,480 to 14,107 feet) and prefer the upper forest zone at 3,900 to 4,200 meters (12,795 to 13,779 feet) year-round [6]. This is an example of monkeys living in high mountains, though it cannot be said they live at the "highest place in the world." In Europe, there is a wild group of Barbary macaques in Gibraltar. Their original habitat is the Atlas Mountains and Rif Mountains in Morocco. Around 2020, there were about 300 individuals in 5 groups [7]. However, they receive food, water, and veterinary care, so they are sometimes called "semi-wild." How they arrived in Gibraltar is unclear, with theories including that Moors brought them there. The number of individuals also varies by source, ranging from 230 to 300 [7].
6. Using a Map to Trace Where Monkeys Live by Latitude
Open an atlas and find the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture. Then, trace the 40 degrees north latitude line with your finger. The Shimokita Peninsula is slightly north of that line. On a world map, look for Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These are the four countries where two-thirds of monkey species are concentrated [3]. Comparing these four countries with the Shimokita Peninsula on a map reveals distances that are hard to grasp from numbers alone. You might find out if there are wild monkeys near your own prefecture by checking information published by your prefecture or city. Paying attention to differences in sources can deepen your understanding of the numbers. For original sources in Japanese, the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education's cultural property page is short and readable [1]. Note that Aomori Prefecture materials state that wild monkeys generally live south of 40 degrees north latitude, and only the Shimokita macaques live further north [1].