In Japan's Jigokudani Monkey Park the snow falls lightly upon a troop of Japanese Macaques seeking the warmth of natural hot springs. The pools offer respite from the region’s freezing temperatures, but bathing is a relatively recent adaptation for these monkeys. With steam rising all around they groom, rest and play in the heated water.

Japanese macaques have lived in the area for millennia. These are the most northern non-human primates and they endure extreme cold. To survive, the macaques have evolved unique physical and social adaptations. Their thick fur allows them to handle temperatures as low as four degrees below zero Farenheit but that doesn't keep them out of the hot tubs for a good soak.

Anup Shah and Fiona Rogers bring us to the edge of the hotsprings to see the animals soaking, grooming, playing and huddling in their high-altitude habitat. Portraits, environmental images and behavior is captured in this gallery of images.

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