A: Hey there! Guess what I heard recently?
B: What's up, what happened?
A: Seems like our beloved snow monkeys in Japan might be feeling the impact of climate change!
B: Really? Tell me more about it.
A: So, researchers from a couple of universities in Japan studied these monkeys in the mountains around Kamikochi. They found that during winter, they feed on insects from rivers.
B: That's interesting! Why are those insects important to them?
A: Turns out, when food is scarce in winter, these aquatic insects provide a good source of nutrition for the monkeys.
B: Makes sense, right? But there's more...
A: Well, last February, they noticed something unusual. The number of species of aquatic insects found in the monkey's poop dropped significantly because daytime temperatures rose above zero degrees Celsius!
B: Wow, that sounds like a problem. Why was that happening?
A: They believe it could be due to snowmelts and rising water levels caused by higher temperatures, making it difficult for the monkeys to enter rivers.
B: That's crazy! I wonder what they'll do next winter if this continues...
A: Exactly! And here's the kicker - Assistant Professor Takenaka from the University of Tsukuba says even small changes in temperature caused by climate change could alter their environment and affect their behavior.
B: Man, that's worrying. We should keep an eye on our furry friends. Let's hope they can adapt!
B: What's up, what happened?
A: Seems like our beloved snow monkeys in Japan might be feeling the impact of climate change!
B: Really? Tell me more about it.
A: So, researchers from a couple of universities in Japan studied these monkeys in the mountains around Kamikochi. They found that during winter, they feed on insects from rivers.
B: That's interesting! Why are those insects important to them?
A: Turns out, when food is scarce in winter, these aquatic insects provide a good source of nutrition for the monkeys.
B: Makes sense, right? But there's more...
A: Well, last February, they noticed something unusual. The number of species of aquatic insects found in the monkey's poop dropped significantly because daytime temperatures rose above zero degrees Celsius!
B: Wow, that sounds like a problem. Why was that happening?
A: They believe it could be due to snowmelts and rising water levels caused by higher temperatures, making it difficult for the monkeys to enter rivers.
B: That's crazy! I wonder what they'll do next winter if this continues...
A: Exactly! And here's the kicker - Assistant Professor Takenaka from the University of Tsukuba says even small changes in temperature caused by climate change could alter their environment and affect their behavior.
B: Man, that's worrying. We should keep an eye on our furry friends. Let's hope they can adapt!
Similar Readings (5 items)
summary of Research: Climate change affecting foraging habits of wild snow monkeys in Japan
Researchers say climate change may be affecting the winter foraging behavior of wild snow monkeys in Japan.
Japan Sea coast may see more snow than normal in next 3 months
More heavy snow likely in parts of northern to western Japan through Sunday
Summary: Areas from northern to eastern Japan see snow as cold weather sets in
Summary
Snow monkeys in Japan facing climate change impacts due to rising winter temperatures affecting aquatic insect populations vital for their nutrition. Researchers observed a significant decrease in species of aquatic insects found in the monkey's feces during February, potentially due to snowmelts