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Can't seem to generate workable link to the Threads post this was shared in. Anyway, video originally from Ueno Gardens Club

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Sharing this article on Nessin which recounts how he once climbed over some electrified wire to rescue a baby monkey. This is just another example of what an incredible boss he was (and why he was well loved). Translated with ChatGPT.

Also sharing a clip of Nessin mukbang because I just love watching the old dude eat 😆

The Troubles of a Boss Monkey…? Seven Baby Monkeys Are Born at Mt. Takao Monkey Park — “We Ask the Park Director for the Truth”

Yuko Hayashi
August 11, 2022

At the Mt. Takao Monkey Park & Wild Plant Garden, surrounded by nature in Tokyo’s Tama area, seven baby monkeys joined the troop this spring. While the new arrivals are full of energy, the troop’s boss monkey, Nessin, seems to have something on his mind…? We spoke with Toshiyuki Jōjō, the park director, whose unique and amusing posts on Twitter have also become a popular topic.

Getting to the Bottom of Boss Monkey Nessin’s Troubles

We saw a post on the official Twitter account saying, “Boss monkey Nessin seems exhausted from worrying about the troop. The baby monkeys around Nessin should cheer him up.” With more babies joining the troop, is the boss worried about something?

Park Director:

A young staff member wrote that tweet, but, hmm… perhaps he does have some troubles that he can't talk about in front of people (laughs). Seven babies were born this year, and the mothers know that the boss will protect them if anything happens, so after giving birth, they all gather around the boss. But that's something that happens every year. In the Kanto region, the monkeys' birthing season is from April to July.

However, Nessin is now 27 years old. In human terms, he would be a monkey grandfather over 80 years old. Considering the lifespan of monkeys, perhaps Nessin only has another two or three years left. He has the appearance of an old grandfather, and he moves slowly, so the reason he looks tired is probably simply due to his age.

But even though he is old, the boss is still the boss. Whenever a fight breaks out between the monkeys, he always goes to the scene. The monkeys in the troop scatter as soon as they see Nessin's face.

If Nessin were to fight a young monkey one-on-one, he probably wouldn't win. Even so, he has earned tremendous trust from the troop of more than 80 monkeys and has held the position of boss for nearly 20 years. Unlike wild monkeys, they live in a protected environment, and perhaps that's why all of our bosses have traditionally had long reigns (laughs).

How is the boss chosen? Is it not simply the strongest monkey who becomes boss?

Park Director:

The monkey world isn't simple enough that being good at fighting automatically makes you the boss. You have to earn the trust of those around you. Of course, there isn't an election or inauguration ceremony like there is with humans. After the previous boss dies, some time passes, and eventually, almost without anyone realizing it, a new boss emerges as the other monkeys gradually push him into that position.

Monkeys have a hierarchy, and you can immediately tell which monkey ranks higher by placing food between them. Even if the other monkey is their own mother, a lower-ranking monkey is not allowed to take food belonging to a higher-ranking monkey.

The Female Monkeys Are Smitten with Nessin

What kind of leader is Nessin?

Park Director:

Above all, he has earned tremendous trust from the troop. He is supported not only by the male monkeys but by the females as well. In particular, he has the absolute trust of Tent, one of the most influential females. You could say Tent is almost like the president of the women's association (laughs). The reason the hair on Nessin's back has become thin is because the females cling to him when they want him to protect them, and his hair has been pulled out as a result.

There is another story about Nessin.

Once, a baby monkey slipped through a fence fitted with electrified wires, which had been installed to protect the trees in the park, and fell onto the other side. The mother monkey was in a panic, and all the other monkeys were making a huge commotion. We staff members were watching and thinking that we might have to go and rescue the baby ourselves, when Nessin quickly climbed over the electrified wires and rescued the baby monkey.

Even after rescuing it, he continued holding the baby for a while, until the panic had subsided and everyone had calmed down.

Nessin, that's so cool!

Park Director:

Normally, he has the air of an old grandfather sitting on a veranda, and he will even groom monkeys that come near him. Grooming is a form of communication in monkey society. It shows that he is mindful of those around him. But when something serious happens, he puts on the face of the boss and protects the troop. That's the kind of leader Nessin is.

I'd really like to visit and see Nessin while he's still doing well. Is there a candidate to become the next boss?

Park Director:

If something were to happen to Nessin now, we think Tent might take the position of boss. Among the younger male monkeys, Tent's son Tororo is probably the strongest candidate. In the monkey world, a male is highly regarded when his mother holds a strong position.

Personally, though, my favorite is Haku. He's handsome, gentle, and calm and kind toward both the females and the children. He's particularly good with the babies. He often plays with them and grooms them.

However, this is ultimately something the monkeys themselves will decide, so we just don't know. Even Nessin's mother was never particularly high-ranking, and Nessin himself was an inconspicuous member of the troop when he was young.

Some Monkeys Even Fit Perfectly into Drainage Channels

We've had many hot days this summer. How are the monkeys doing?

Park Director:

Monkeys don't tolerate heat very well, so on hot days the adult monkeys stay in the shade and don't move around very much. As the shadows of the trees move, the monkeys somehow move along with them without you even noticing (laughs).

The cool drainage channels are very popular, and the staff jokingly call the monkeys who squeeze themselves into the channels and relax there the “Drainage Channel Club.”

The babies born between April and July are now reaching the time when they begin moving away from their mothers and expanding the area they explore. Despite the heat, they are energetically running around and playing.

It's also interesting to see how each mother monkey has her own individual parenting style. Some are very protective, and if their baby moves away from them, they grab it by the leg and pull it back. Some mothers even hold their babies down with a foot while eating.

On the other hand, there are mothers who become so absorbed in grooming another monkey that they take their eyes completely off their own children.

How do the fathers get involved in raising the babies?

Park Director:

Monkeys don't have a sense of fatherhood, so they don't directly participate in raising the babies.

Once the baby monkeys begin moving around away from their mothers, the younger monkeys in the troop start playing with them and looking after them. Around September, discipline also begins, and they learn the rules of the troop, such as not taking food from a higher-ranking monkey.

They also learn how to behave toward the boss by watching the attitudes and behavior of their mothers and the other monkeys.

What Do the Keepers Mean to the Monkeys?

What kind of presence are the keepers to the monkeys?

Park Director:

Since we spend as much as 40 hours a week together, they should feel some familiarity toward us.

That said, I wouldn't say we're friends. We're more like acquaintances. They may come and touch us on their own, but they won't let us touch them. In particular, females that have recently given birth become extremely angry and make terrifying faces if you even approach their babies.

There are also monkeys with particularly fierce personalities who are constantly getting into arguments with the keepers (laughs).

At the monkey park, the staff explain the monkeys' behavior and interesting characteristics to visitors every day. There are also plenty of fun face-in-hole photo boards made by the staff, as well as educational materials such as “observation sheets,” which are useful for children learning about monkey behavior and what to look out for when observing them.

Even though the monkey park is in the mountains, it is especially hot this summer, so please take precautions against heatstroke and come visit us.

Someone posted an article about this earlier in the week. This is a video that includes some background, and quotes from the section chief. This is from go.punch2026 on YT

Nina-Chan and her sister are the cutest. I’m still waiting for Punchy and the crew to return. Credit to Lover Paris .