New academic words 4

A Steamy Discovery

1. Red faces peer above the water. Steam fans the gray-brown fur that fringes their faces. Despite the warmth rising from the hot spring, ice crusts their fur. Their eyes gaze lazily.
2. In many areas of northern Hinshu, Japan, troops of snow monkeys can be found soaking where hot springs boil from the volcanic mountains. It might seem like they’re indulging in this tranquil activity, but it’s actually very important for their survival. Temperatures in their habitat plunge below freezing every night. Daytime temperatures increase very little. Their thick fur does help them tolerate the cold, but dipping in the warm waters surely makes them feel better.
3. The first discovery of a snow monkey in a hot spring was in 1963. A female snow monkey was found using a hot spring owned by a hotel and designated for its guests. Other monkeys started copying her, and soon the hot spring was brimming with monkeys. The hotel finally fenced off the area for the monkeys and built a separate pool for its guests. The species eventually inhabited more and more areas with hot springs, and now monkeys are a top tourist attraction in Japan.