A sudden movement behind the sika stag caught Atsuyuki’s eye.

In an instant, using a tree as a springboard, a young Yakushima macaque jumped onto the deer’s back.

Monkeys rodeo riding on deer on Yakushima Island is rare but not unheard of.

In this case, the macaque was a young female, and appearing to just be enjoying a free ride on the stag’s back.