Tim writes: these are Tibetan Macaques, sometimes known as Milne-Edwards’ or Chinese Stump-tailed Macaques (Macaca thibetana). They are the largest species of Macaque and occur mainly in Eastern Tibet and Western China. They are classified by IUCN as near-threatened largely because of habitat destruction.
They live in mixed sex groups of twenty to thirty with a strict hierarchy where higher ranking animals get privileged access to mates and food. Females usually remain within the natal group whereas adolescent males will wander off and join other groups at about 8 years old. As dominant animals become old and weak they will be challenged by up and coming animals. In males this can be a fight to the death.
They are very tuned in to body language and direct eye contact is seen as aggressive so it is quite difficult to get a Tibetan Macacque to look directly at you. That’s why this looks like candid photography.
I photographed these at Labahe in Sichuan, China.
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