Golden Snub-nosed Monkey

 

Endemic to China, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, or scientifically known as Rhinopithecus roxellana, is one of the most beautiful and rare animals found in the world. These monkeys get their name from the short, stump of a nose on their round face, with nostrils arranged forward. They have relatively multicolored and long fur, particularly at the shoulders and backs. They grow to a length of 51 to 83 cm with a tail of 55 to 97 cm.

Status:

The Golden Monkey is listed endangered on the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 2008. Currently, biologists identify three subspecies of this monkey: Moupin Golden Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana roxellana), Qinling Golden Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana qinlingensis), Hubei Golden Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana hubeiensis). According to IUCN, there are about 16,000 individual golden snub-nosed monkeys in China.

Geographic Distribution:

Golden Snub-nosed Monkey can be found in Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi and Sichuan in west-central China.

You may not know:

The Chinese name of Golden Snub-nosed Monkey is Sichuan Golden Hair Monkey (川金絲猴). These monkeys can withstand colder average temperatures than any other non-human primates. Golden snub-nosed monkeys adjust their diet as the seasons change, but its main food source is lichens.