There are only about 800 Guizhou golden monkeys in the world, making them even rarer than giant pandas. They are a national first-class protected wild animal in China and are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
China is home to three species of rare golden monkeys, with the Guizhou golden monkey population the smallest. They can only be found in the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in the northeastern part of Guizhou province.
Fanjing Mountain is home to over 7,100 species of wild plants and animals. The nature reserve was established in 1978 and designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. Covering an area of over 77,500 hectares, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.
There are still many unanswered questions about the Guizhou golden monkey, also known as the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey. To gain a better understanding of the animal, the Fanjing Mountain Administration's forest rangers have been conducting regular patrols. The administration has also improved its monitoring systems, gathering valuable data on the monkeys' population, distribution and habitat, and the threats they face that serves as a scientific reference for conservation efforts.
Click the video to learn more about these adorable creatures.
Ruan Jiawen contributed to this story.