All language subtitles for Snow Monkeys BBC Natural World 2009 1080p HDTV x265 AAC EN Sub

The Japanese Alps.

Haunt of a remarkable population
of primates. Snow monkeys.

The extremes of the seasons,

the complexities
of family life,

and the stresses of the
modern world

test their toughness and
ingenuity to the full.

It thrust some monkeys into
the limelight

and left others
being hunted down like vermin.

This is the story of three troops
leading very different lifestyles.

On their trail is a
young primatologist

who wants to uncover the secret
lives of Japan's snow monkeys.

It's autumn in Jigokudani
or Hell's Valley

and one very special troop
of snow monkeys is on the move.

These are wild animals, free to
roam anywhere on the mountains.

But every morning they have
a very important appointment
they can't afford to miss.

For years now they've become
accustomed to hand-outs.

But it's not just the grain that
draws them out of the forest.

There are volcanically
heated springs here, too,

and there's nothing like a
hot bath to start the day.

But this troop hasn't
always had these luxurious
facilities at their disposal.

40 years ago, they were
like any other wild troop.

But then one young monkey began to
mimic the behaviour of human bathers

who came to the valley
to take the waters.

Her boldness was about to
change the life of the whole clan.

As others quickly followed suit,

the hot springs troop became
international celebrities
almost overnight.

But fame carries a price.

Every morning the troop
must face their adoring fans.

These A-list primates

are some of the most photographed
animals in the world.

Their lives may now be easier,
but all food is valuable

and these clever
monkeys have even puzzled out

how to retrieve grain
from the bottom of the hot springs.

Each monkey has its own technique.

Some head for the deep end,

filling their cheek
pouches on each dive.

Those that don't like
getting their heads wet
shuffle around in the shallows

which means some nifty footwork
if they're not to go hungry.

Their ingenuity comes as no
surprise to one particular visitor.

Biologist Takayo Soma has studied
primates in Africa for ten years

but she's become
increasingly fascinated by the
monkeys that live in her homeland.

TRANSLATION: I was born just
a few miles from here

and the snow monkeys I know are
those I see around my family's farm.

Unlike the pampered troop up at
the hot springs,

these monkeys lead a
very hand to mouth existence.

When I was young

it was a rare treat to see them
this far down in the valley,

but in recent years snow monkeys
have started to raid farms

and begun to cause
some real problems.

On the family farm, Takayo and her
mother check the orchards,

as much for signs of
unwelcome visitors

as for the ripeness of the crop.

I'm amazed how one animal can
provoke such extreme reactions.

While the hot springs troop are
adored, these crop raiders are hated.

I want to find out more
about how and why

they've ended up
living such different lives.

It's ironic that the hot springs
troop can gorge themselves on
apples to their hearts' content.

The daily feeding makes this the
perfect place to watch monkeys going
about their day-to-day business

and there's lots to be learned.

The wardens keep detailed records
that stretch back over 40 years,

so individual family trees can
be traced for generations.

These logs reveal the complex
power struggles that shape
snow monkey society.

And there's one character
who dominates the rest,

the reigning queen.

Surrounded by her sisters,
daughters and aunts,

she is at the helm of
a fearsome female dynasty.

Anyone stepping out of line feels
the full force of the sisterhood.

These aren't empty threats.

Serious injuries are not uncommon.

The sisterhood even decides
the status of the males.

For the moment,
this male is the chosen one.

Woe betide anyone
who gets in his way!

But his future ultimately
depends on him staying on
the right side of the queen.

As long as his face fits and his
performance is up to scratch,

then his legacy will be assured.

For the moment at least,
his position seems secure.

On first impression,
this troop seems to have it all.

Their extra food they are given

means this group is now
far larger than most wild troops,

at last count almost 200 individuals.

Clearly, this is not how the vast
majority of snow monkeys live.

And it's those other troops
I'm really interested in
finding out more about.

For this, Takayo needs to
travel only a few miles away

but it feels like another world.

This is the Kamikochi Valley,

the very heart of one of Japan's
most famous national parks.

All life here revolves
around the Azusa River.

And eventually the
mountain troop put in an appearance.

Every day they must brave the frigid
water as they criss-cross
the valley in search of food.

The first thing that
immediately strikes me

is how much smaller
these monkeys are,

maybe half the size of those
living around the hot springs,

and they're much more wary.

The atmosphere within the
group feels very different, too.

Here, it's generally much
more subdued.

They appear to be so focused on
finding food,

that there's just
no time for all that squabbling.

The troop cover several
kilometres every day

feeding on whatever they can find,

leaves, berries, insects

even tree-bark. There's certainly
less drama than at the hot springs,

but power in this troop still
lies in the hands of its females.

The subordinate monkeys often
scout ahead looking for food.

But as soon as they
stumble onto something tasty,

the dominant female and her
family muscle in.

Rank always holds sway.

As the days shorten,

it's clear that it's not just
status that matters up here,

but experience, too.

The intimate local knowledge
of the older monkeys,

where to cross the river safely,

where to seek shelter
during storms,

where to find food,

must be crucial, especially as
they prepare for harder times.

For the next few months, deep snow
and sub-zero temperatures

are the monkeys'
constant companions.

Surviving in this frozen world ought
to be a real challenge,

yet on the face of it,
life for the hot springs
troop carries on much as before.

They still roost in the
sheltering forest

and roll out each morning
for their daily feed.

Only a narrow stream stands between
them and breakfast,

fed by warmed water from deep
underground it never freezes,

even with the mercury stuck well
below zero.

The hardest job of the day is
sifting the grain from the snow

but compared to finding food in the
wild, this is a minor inconvenience.

Being fed every day has
obviously left them with
time on their hands.

Time they fill in
some ingenious ways.

For some of the youngsters,

playing with snowballs seems to
have become an obsession.

It began when one juvenile
started playing with chunks of snow,

but quickly spread as
others mimicked what they saw.

It's the same kind of
copy-cat behaviour

that got this troop into the
hot springs in the first place.

All this spare time and excess
energy can be a mixed blessing.

With so many animals crowded
together, there's always
some score to be settled.

However,
targets must be carefully selected.

This young one may be small,

but it's from a high-ranking family
and has allies to call on,

enough to make anyone think twice.

Frustrated, the bully vents his fury
on a less well-connected passer-by.

Between these violent outbursts,

life revolves around the constant
need to replenish energy
and keep warm.

The hot water bubbling up from
deep underground

keeps the pool at a constant
40 degrees centigrade,
whatever the weather.

Because they have such thick
winter coats

they don't get wet
through to the skin.

Faces flush pink with the heat.

In this more relaxed atmosphere,

alliances are made and
strengthened.

Grooming is the glue that binds this
complex society together.

These monkeys must be just about
the luckiest in the world.

Their fame now all but
guarantees them a well-fed
and relatively comfortable winter.

By contrast, life for the mountain
troop is getting harder by the day.

In Kamikochi, the big
freeze has hit with a vengeance.

With the roads closed until spring,

the only way into this mountain
refuge is on skis.

It's exhilarating to be out in
this beautiful, silent world...

but I didn't realise
just how hard it would be to track
the snow monkeys in these conditions.

Today, the temperature is -20.

Out here in this cold,
a single mistake could be fatal.

I can't imagine
how the monkeys survive.

Yet even now,
there are some signs of life.

But where are the monkeys?

The mountain troop
must have passed this way.

This is all very fresh damage and
could only have been made by monkeys.

The layers beneath this willow bark
contain small amounts of sugars,

but imagine having to eat this!

So far, this is the only evidence
the mountain troop is still alive.

While the search continues,

Takayo pays her respects
at a remote forest shrine.

Snow monkeys have been
revered for centuries.

Perhaps this visit
will bring a change of luck.

Two days later,

her persistence is rewarded
as monkeys emerge out of the gloom.

Food is so scarce the monkeys
have been forced to spread far
and wide through the forest,

each locked in their own
private struggle for survival.

They spend hours each day
eating tree bark

just to get something
into their stomachs.

I can't believe they can survive
such a hostile climate
on such a meagre diet.

When times are this hard, being
surrounded by family and friends

is a great comfort.

But those on the periphery,
usually young males,

can be left bitterly exposed.

The older monkeys
are veterans of such intense cold.

As a last resort,
they turn again to the river...

..still flowing thanks to
volcanic springs along its course.

Insect larvae
lie hidden amongst the rocks.

These tiny morsels can make the
difference between life and death.

These are monkeys living
at the absolute limits of endurance.

No other non-human primate
is found this far north.

As night falls,
temperatures plummet.

The open riverbank
is no place to linger.

The troop retreats deep into
the heavy foliage of the conifers.

This may take the edge off the wind,

but it's still perishingly cold.

Huddling together provides
a degree of warmth...

..but not everyone
has this safety net.

Again, the young males
get the cold shoulder.

Each lonely hour of each bitter
winter night will take its toll.

The urban troop is facing up
to their own winter problems.

As supplies of wild foods dwindle,
they make increasingly bold
excursions from the forest.

The main valley through the region
is intensively cultivated.

What was once forest
is now rice paddies and orchards.

Rotted fruit, forgotten corn cobs,

even the husks of old cherries are
precious finds for hungry monkeys.

Now I've seen just how hard life
is for the snow monkeys high
in the mountains,

I can understand why
these orchards are so attractive.

For farmers,
it must be devastating to see
their precious trees being damaged.

But for the monkeys, these raids
are definitely a risk worth taking.

But years of persecution
have made the troop very jumpy.

Even me being here
is more than enough
to send them scurrying for cover.

Orchards are not
the only source of food here...

..and monkeys
not the only scavengers.

Bewick's swans spend the summer
in Siberia, but they can tough out

the entire winter
here on the frozen rice paddies.

Monkeys use the paddies, too,

but they often go a step further.

There's usually something
to be scavenged in a backyard

and once the association between
easy food and people has been made,

daily trips
into town become routine.

Compared to fishing insect larvae
out of a freezing river,

a plundered bag of rice husks
must seem like a feast.

None of the troops
appears totally immune
to the brutality of the season.

Even for the privileged
hot springs troop,

winter is something
to be endured rather than enjoyed.

For all snow monkeys,
starvation, disease
and death are never far away.

Young monkeys
are hit particularly hard.

Spring can't come soon enough.

The arrival of the cherry blossom
heralds the turn of the year.

It's a very special time in Japan,

one that celebrates
renewal and rebirth.

The new rice crop is planted...

..and the apple orchards
get a spring clean.

Life returns to the mountains, too.

Takayo heads up to Kamikochi to see
how the mountain troop has fared.

There's been
an amazing transformation up here.

It's a relief to see so many familiar
old faces have made it through

and there are some new ones, too!

It's incredible to think that
these females have not only managed

to come through the winter
on the poorest of diets,

but have been able
to nurture all this new life, too.

Conditions here are so tough

and the demands of
the growing youngsters so great,

females only give birth
every second or third year.

These births usually happen
at night in tucked away places.

But this baby has just arrived

so recently the mother hasn't
even had time to clean up.

The new baby clings on tightly,

perfectly placed to start
absorbing all the tricks
it will need to survive.

At these higher altitudes,
the wild cherry is only
just coming into flower

and the monkeys can't resist.

Takayo is in her element.

I learnt about these forest
plants from my mother.

Many of them are great delicacies,
used in traditional cooking.

But you have to know
what you are doing.

Some of them are extremely poisonous.

The monkeys seem
to be just as selective,

knowledge they must start gathering
almost from the day they are born.

The privations of the winter
are just a distant memory.

The hot springs
troop has experienced

a flood of new life, too.

Although some babies have clearly
been delivered into more competent
hands than others.

Within a couple of weeks, youngsters
start showing that insatiable
curiosity for the world around them.

A new arrival is introduced
to one of the daily rituals here.

But despite their clever ways,
young monkeys are vulnerable...

..and the transition into spring
can often be a false dawn.

Spring storms are common

and can last for days.

This mother
has recently given birth.

She couldn't have worse timing!

It doesn't take many hours in
the cold and wet to extinguish
new life before it's really begun.

After three days continual rain,
it all feels very subdued here.

Even the hot springs don't seem to
offer much in the way of comfort.

It's such a cruel twist that just
as the trials of the winter are over,

and there's plenty of food around,
the monkeys must suffer like this.

These cold, wet springs
can be the final straw.

As spring eases into summer,
the combination of stifling heat

and abundant water works wonders
on the rich volcanic soils
of the valley.

Ripening crops are everywhere

and that's good news
for the urban troop,

at least for the moment.

Every young monkey in the troop
is learning from the more
experienced members of the gang.

But each daring raid
draws the monkeys closer

to a more deadly confrontation with
the increasingly frustrated farmers.

Up in the mountains, the sun and
rain have worked their magic, too.

It's hard to believe
that three months ago
this was buried under snow.

Now it feels more like the
tropical forests of Africa,
where I'm more used to working.

The troop is back down at
their old haunt by the river

and they seem to be thriving,
despite the recent storms.

It's great to see
the new additions so obviously
full of the joys of life

and being so independent.

Despite their diminutive size,
they've proved
just how tough they are.

The summer's bounty
means even this troop can afford
to take some rare time off.

But for young males,
the stark realities of life
are never far away.

This play-fighting is just practice
for when they must battle their
way up the hierarchy as adults.

At this time of year,

gathering food
takes on a more leisurely air.

In this relaxed atmosphere,
watcher and watched
suddenly stumble upon each other.

It's taken almost a year,

but it feels like this troop has
finally accepted me being around.

Even the mothers with
their new babies don't seem
bothered by me being here.

All too soon, summer gives
way to the chill of autumn.

As the year turns,

tensions in the hot springs troop
seem to be escalating.

The whole troop is on edge.

Old allegiances are breaking down.

There seems to be a shift
in the balance of power.

The top male doesn't seem to be
getting the respect he once did.

After three years
as their favourite, the ruling
females are rejecting him.

It's a bad sign.

And it's now the
former second in command
who is the one holding court.

It shows just how powerful
the sisterhood is.

The old male keeps trying,

but the females
want nothing to do with him.

His dramatic fall from grace
reveals the downside to membership
of this super-troop.

With such unnaturally high numbers,
there's always someone waiting
to push you aside.

He slips quietly from
the troop to fend for himself,

his future uncertain.

The urban troop is feeling
a different kind of pressure.

These crops would set
the monkeys up for the winter.

But for farmers,
seeing their harvest heading for
the woods must be too much to bare.

They call in local marksmen
to hunt down the raiders,

who pick up the trail
almost immediately.

GUNSHOT

GUNSHOT
The hunters prefer to move the
monkeys on rather than kill them.

But with such temptations
right on their doorstep,

they'll soon be back.

Those farmers
plagued by raiding monkeys have
resorted to building huge traps.

Baited with fruit, these can catch
whole troops at a time.

In this one small region of Japan,

more than 1,500 monkeys
are now killed as pests every year.

As winter approaches once again,
it's time for Takayo to reflect

on what's she's learnt
over this last year.

I started out on this journey
not really knowing much
about snow monkeys.

Getting to know these
three groups over the last year
has been an incredible experience.

The three troops seem so different
and are treated so differently by us,

but they're really all the same.

Each troop is just doing
what snow monkeys do best,
using their formidable ingenuity

and adaptability to turn
every situation that confronts them

to its very best advantage.

It's understandable
that the hot springs troop
are treated like celebrities.

Their remarkable lifestyle
is instantly appealing to us

and has rightly made them
world famous.

But if we can so admire
this one troop,

then I think surely be should able to
celebrate all Japan's snow monkeys.