Scratching their heads, gathering in droves, the monkeys at the once impoverished county of Fengshan in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have helped improve the locals livelihood. And no one knows them better than Luo Fenggan, a keeper and friend of the monkeys.

"They are familiar with us now. We won't let them get hungry. They pretty much eat everything, except for meat," Luo Fenggan said, while keeping himself busy feeding the monkeys.

Bright and intelligent, these monkeys are the reason why hundreds of thousands of people would come to the spot each year. Local officials said about one third of the tourists who visit Fengshan every year come to the monkey hill, especially in the holidays.

"Local families can make money from their front doors. After running the shops in the scenic spot, their daily sales during the peak season can reach over 1,000 yuan ($151)," Chen Ling from the local tourism bureau said.

Since the development of the scenic spot in 2001, the original dozen wild monkeys have grown to more than 600 today. Luo and many other locals who work here have seen their income rise to over 3,000 yuan a month.

The growth in local tourism – brought on by food, accommodation, travel and shopping in the scenic spot – has virtually wiped out local poverty.