Japanese macaques are expanding into urban areas as forests shrink, creating conflict while their famous hot spring behavior draws global tourist attention.
Wild macaques entering agricultural areas face culling that constitutes a significant welfare harm at population scale. Lethal control rarely addresses the root cause of human-macaque conflict and may increase crop raiding by disrupting social structures. Tourist sites where macaques are fed may cause dependency and disease transmission risks. Urban monkeys experience chronic stress from human-modified environments. Non-lethal conflict resolution methods including electric fencing and habitat restoration show better long-term outcomes for both farmers and macaque welfare.