Derrick Koo, Hell Valley Macaques (Wildlife and Animal 2019)

This was my second visit to the snow monkeys of Jigokudani. The first visit was marred by a blizzard which caused fallen trees to block the path to the hot springs. The japanese macaques are very popular internationally and it is easy to see why. Their human like expressions and behaviour while enjoying warm thermal waters, set against the stunning backdrop of snowy hills, is like no other.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.