(CN) Golden monkey business swinging in Yunnan

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China Daily 05/04/2001 http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/

 

KUNMING: Golden monkeys in Southwest China's Yunnan Province have a

better relationship with people now because they are better protected.

Two years ago, monkeys living in the province's Samage Forest Zone

were scared of people and fled when they saw them. Today, they have mustered

up enough courage to linger around the forest even in front of tourists.

 

The Yunnan golden monkey, also known as the snub-nosed monkey, is a

rare species and comes under top-level State protection.

 

Between 1959 to 1961, masses of Yunnan golden monkeys in the Samage

Forest Zone were hunted for food by local farmers.

 

More than 80 of the animals were killed by one village in one hunt,

recalled a farmer in the area. Also, trees were chopped and burned. So the

monkeys began to retreat deep inside the forests at high altitudes.

 

In the 1990s, the local government took a series of measures to

protect the animals. In 1998, the National Project of Wild Wood Protection

was started, and forests were protected from being chopped down. Meanwhile,

the country has launched large-scale afforestation campaigns in the area.

 

As a result, the monkeys gradually came back to live in their original

homes.

 

There are 43 forest rangers in the Samage Forest Zone, with four of

them living in the Xiangguqing region. Their responsibility is to prevent

local people from herding livestock in the forest area in order to protect

the monkeys from being disturbed or frightened.

 

Yu Shaohua, one of the forest rangers, said when they initiated the

protection efforts two years ago, the monkeys used to flee upon seeing them.

 

But it is different now. " A friendship has been established between

the monkeys and villagers, " Yu said. " They won't run away even at a distance

of 20 metres because they know we do not have any intention of hurting

them. "

 

The creatures have round faces, big eyes and thick lips, and in many

ways look similar to human beings.

 

Some local zoologists say the monkeys' best feature is their hair,

which is very black on the head, back and forelegs and white as snow on

their faces, chest and abdomen.

 

The monkeys are rather timid and never go near houses. Even the sound

of a broken branch sends them running away madly.

 

According to scientists, there are 1,500 to 2,000 Yunnan golden

monkeys in existence.

 

The majority live in the Mangkang Nature Reserve in the Tibet

Autonomous Region and the Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and Laojun

Mountain Forest Area in Yunnan.

 

The Samage Forest Zone is the main habitat for 800 Yunnan golden

monkeys living in four groups.

 

Xinhua