Details
Rhinopithecus roxellana
A striking mountain monkey of central China, with golden fur, a pale blue face, and an upturned nose. It forms large groups in cold forests.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Golden snub-nosed monkeys inhabit high-elevation mixed conifer-broadleaf forest, deciduous forest, and bamboo-rich mountain woodland. Seasonal elevation shifts are common.
They have long golden-orange fur, a pale blue face, and a short upturned nose. Adult males are larger and more brightly marked.
They are diurnal and largely arboreal. Large bands form from smaller social units, and individuals cluster closely during cold weather.
They eat leaves, buds, fruit, seeds, bark, and lichens. Winter diets rely heavily on low-quality foods such as lichens and bark.
Females usually bear a single infant within the group. Young cling to mothers and later move through the canopy with the troop.
Habitat loss, fragmentation, and hunting pressure make forest protection and corridor maintenance central to conservation.
