Animal
15:12, 28-Jan-2019
Large group of rare Phayre's leaf monkeys spotted in SW China
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More than 700 Phayre's leaf monkeys have recently been spotted in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The rare monkeys were seen and photographed with infrared cameras installed inside the Tongbiguan Nature Reserve during a two-month field investigation in Longchuan County of Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in the province.
A Phayre's leaf monkey at the Beijing Zoo, China. /VCG Photo
A Phayre's leaf monkey at the Beijing Zoo, China. /VCG Photo
"Judging by their outlook and characteristics, our investigation team has reached a conclusion that these monkeys are Phayre's leaf monkeys under the first-class state protection," said Zhang Dingcan, who is in charge of resources monitoring with the nature reserve.
According to Zhang, the discovery of these large groups of Phayre's leaf monkeys in Yunnan is a great way for zoologists to get a deeper understanding of the endangered species.
"We've tracked and monitored the Phayre's leaf monkeys since 2018. So far, we've known that there are nine groups of more than 500 monkeys in the city of Mangshi, and another 200-plus in Longchuan County," he said.
A Phayre's leaf monkey and her cub at a zoo, India. /VCG Photo
A Phayre's leaf monkey and her cub at a zoo, India. /VCG Photo
It marks the second time a great number of Phayre's leaf monkeys has been seen in China.
Phayre's leaf monkeys, also known as Phayre's langurs, live primarily in areas of western Yunnan and eastern and northern Myanmar. The species is one of China's most endangered wild animals under national protection. It is also listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Files compiled in the 1980s show that less than 2,000 Phayre's langurs lived in Yunnan. By the end of the 20th century, logging had further reduced their habitat and their number.