Now, the golden snub-nosed monkey was
nearly wiped out following widespread
deforestation in the remote mountains of
central China. But the species is now
seeing a bounceback thanks to a pre
preservation plan. Our China
correspondent Steven McDonald has been
into the forest of Shen Nongja to find
out more.
[Music]
The incredible golden snub-nosed monkeys
of Shenongja have a highly complex
social structure, moving in family
groups which form larger rival bands
that can be in their hundreds.
But despite being able to survive in at
times freezing remote mountain areas,
human beings nearly wiped them out and
they remain highly endangered. Their
fate was looking pretty grim until
Professor Yang Jing Yan and a small
scientific team was formed in the 1990s.
Now, nobody knows these animals like he
does.
>> Ask if it's true he can understand their
noises.
He is telling others the area is safe.
They can come over.
>> Means it's dangerous. Be careful.
As you can see, these monkeys are not
afraid of people, but that's not their
natural state. It took five scientists a
year of getting to know them in order to
have this level of trust between the
animals and people.
>> I was so excited because finally they
had become my friends. Every day we
could be together and communicating.
Before this was declared a national
park, there were less than 500 monkeys
here. But the formation of the study
team has more than tripled their
numbers. Professor Young says the
crucial change has been protecting their
environment.
>> Back in the 1970s, their home was being
destroyed by logging. So their
population was dropping rapidly. Now
it's being protected and the monkey
numbers are growing quickly.
>> Mass tree planting has covered hills
that were once barren from timber
felling.
And tourists can enter the national
park, but not specific monkey protection
zones.
These days, scientists and teams of
locals also patrol the mountains where
monkeys were once hunted for their meat
and fur.
We're shown a valley where farmers had
lived but have been forced to move to
protect the environment.
The team also inspects the cameras which
have been set up to monitor not only
monkeys but other wildlife.
Bears, wild boar, and many other species
are being studied in this way.
But it's the monkeys which are their
pride and joy. One female can only
produce one baby every 2 years, making
their population growth a long, gradual
process. And yet, after decades of
effort, this is really paying off.
Steven McDonald, BBC News, in the
mountains of Shenongja.