Yunnan golden monkeys in southwest China's Yunnan Province have a better relationship with people now, thanks to the enhancement of wild animal protection.

Two years ago, the Yunnan golden monkeys dwelling in the province's Samage Forest Zone used to show fear and flee at the sight of people. Today, they have mustered up enough courage to linger around the forest even in front of groups of tourists.

The Yunnan golden monkey, also called the snub-nosed monkey, is a rare species under top-level state protection. With round faces, big eyes and thick lips, Yunnan golden monkeys bears many similarities to human beings.

The best feature of the monkeys is their lovely hair, pitch- black on theirs head, back and forelegs while the hair on their faces, chest and abdomen is snow-white, local zoologists said.

The Yunnan golden monkeys are rather timid and never go near villages or residential quarters. Even the sound of a broken branch sends them running madly.

After long-term efforts in observation and research, Chinese scientists have found way to effectively protect the monkeys.

According to scientists, there are 1,500 to 2,000 Yunnan golden monkeys in existence, the majority of them inhabit the Mangkang Nature Reserve of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and the Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and Laojun Mountain Forest Area of Yunnan Province.

The Samage Forest Zone is located in the Baiba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve. Covering an area of 64,000 hectares and including six villages, the Samage Forest Zone is the main habitat to 800 Yunnan golden monkeys living in four groups, according to figures released by the Kunming Animal Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The largest group of Yunnan golden monkeys consists of 400, dwelling in a forest area around the Xiangguqing Village in the Samage Forest Zone. Another main group of 240 monkeys, lives in Gehuaqing Township on a mountain next to Xiangguqing.

During the disastrous three years from 1959 to 1961, masses of Yunnan golden monkeys in the Samage Forest Zone were hunted for food by local farmers.

Over 80 monkeys were killed by one village in a single joint hunt, recalled a farmer in the area. Hence the timid Yunnan golden monkeys began to retreat deep inside the forests at high altitude.

In the 1990's, the local government took a series of measures to protect the endangered Yunnan golden monkeys. In 1998, the National Project on Wild Wood Protection was carried into operation in China, and local primeval forests were protected from logging and lumbering. Meanwhile, the country has launched large- scale afforestation campaigns in the area.

As a result, the Yunnan golden monkeys have gradually come back to live in their original homes.

There are 43 forest rangers in the Samage Forest Zone, with four of them living in the Xiangguqing forest region. Their responsibility is to prevent local people from herding livestock or opening up wastelands in the forest area so as to protect the Yunnan golden monkeys from being disturbed or frightened.

Yu Shaohua, one of the forest rangers, told Xinhua that when they initiated the protection effort two years ago, the Yunnan golden monkeys used to flee upon seeing them.

After two years' hard protection work, "Friendship has been established between the monkeys and villagers," Yu said, "they won 't run away even at a distance of 20 meters because they know we do not have any intentions of hurting them."

Now, tourists visiting the forest zone have opportunities to get close views of the endangered species which used to keep calm and show harmonious attitude to human beings.

People can easily take pictures from several hundred meters away from the lovely monkeys which act as if there is no one else present, said local experts in monkey protection.

The relationship between humans and animals here has become more and more harmonious, they said.

According to the ethnic villagers of Xiangguqing, a flock of Yunnan golden monkeys came to the nearby woods last year to seek food after a heavy snowfall.

"When they saw us, they just stayed in the trees, leaping back and forth and playing with each other," a female villager said, adding that "the monkeys are not afraid of us at all."

(People’s Daily 04/15/2001)