For 17 years Riku has performed skits three times a day in front of large audiences in a theatre in Japan.
The appeal of these traditional and popular performances lies in the anthropomorphic appearance of the trained macaques. It took Jasper a long time to gain permission to take pictures of the performance, and he was appalled that an animal once considered a sacred mediator between gods and humans was now being ridiculed for commercial gain.
The Netherlands
Jasper is a photographer who creates stories that explore the relationship between humans and nature. He’s a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine, a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers and a WWF Netherlands Ambassador.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
