Chinese snub-nosed snow monkey. Golden snub-nosed monkey Alpine monkeys

22.11.2023 Psychology

Big eyes, upturned snub nose, golden hair. No, we are not talking about beautiful girls, but about funny monkeys that live in the jungles of Northern Burma in China. This cute monkey can withstand fairly low temperatures thanks to its very thick fur, which is why they are also nicknamed “snow monkeys.” Her funny face and bright orange “golden” edge are “regulars” in reports about the most exotic and unusual animals in the world.

Only in 2010, European scientists discovered this rare species of monkeys during an expedition to Burma. Snub-nosed “golden” monkeys are still little studied. It is only known that they live in fairly large populations of up to five hundred individuals, spend almost their entire lives in trees and, with the arrival of winter, climb deeper into the jungle.

Snub-nosed monkeys, in addition to their bright appearance, also deserve attention because they make such a variety of sounds. And the crowning number in their “repertoire” is sneezing during the rain.

In the 60s of the 19th century, the European scientific world did not even suspect the existence of these primates. Which is not surprising. The first scientific mention of them belongs to the priest Armand David, who discovered these monkeys in the dense mountain forests of Sichuan province. The priest was unable to take them with him to Europe, but he was able to compose a detailed description of them. The famous zoologist Milne-Edwards gave these monkeys their modern Latin name - Rhinopithecus roxellana. The first part is translated as “nosed monkeys,” and the second is on behalf of the legendary beauty Roksolana, the beloved wife of the Turkish Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent, who was distinguished by her small upturned nose.

These monkeys were known to the Chinese long before this discovery. This is evidenced by drawings on ancient vases and fabrics, where these animals were depicted with a blue face and golden fur. They do not have the entire blue muzzle, but only the areas around the eyes and mouth. Chinese snub-nosed monkeys are a genus of slender-bodied monkeys that are small in size but famous for their long tails. This also applies to our gold monkeys. Their body length reaches 60-75 centimeters, the length of the tail is almost equal to the length of the body. Females are much larger than males and almost 2 times heavier than them.

The almost complete absence of a nose in these monkeys is not a tribute to fashion, but a forced measure of necessity. If they had a more elongated nose structure, then in such a climate they would quickly freeze it. And so, no nose - no problem. They live in the mountainous regions of Central and Southern China at an altitude of 1500 to 3000 meters above sea level. There is no single population here. It is divided into many small groups or families. The largest population lives in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province.

A monkey family consists of a male, several females and their offspring. The total number of one such family can reach up to 40 individuals. "Polygyny" determines the social position of the male in the group. Therefore, the more “wives” he has, the higher his status. But he won’t bother them at all, since fertile females are still more respected here.

Each family has its own plot, the area of which can reach from 15 to 50 square meters. km. They love to sort things out, but they do it in fairly “peaceful” ways. It rarely comes to fights, and most often they are limited to only intimidating poses. But in cases of need, large individuals are able to give a good rebuff to an uninvited guest. Monkeys love nuts, fruits and seeds, and with the arrival of winter they switch to rougher food - lichens or tree bark. In the warm season, they rise higher into the mountains, into forests, and in winter they go down into the valleys and foothills. That is, despite the fact that they live in the tropics and subtropics, they do not like the heat. Snub-nosed monkeys spend most of their lives in trees. They rarely descend to the ground and, at the slightest danger, headlong climb to the very top of the trees.

Sexual maturity in females occurs at 5 years, and in males only at 7. The duration of pregnancy is 7 months. The female gives birth to only 1 cub. The lactation period lasts a year, after which the cub switches to adult food. Both parents take part in raising the baby. The average lifespan of thin-bodied monkeys is approximately 20 years.

Over the past few years, due to deforestation and hunting for meat and precious thick fur, the number of snub-nosed monkeys has fallen sharply. But the Chinese government caught on in time and began creating a large network of parks and reserves, as well as applying tough measures to combat poaching. As a result, the number of primates has stabilized slightly and even increased. There are now about 5,000 monkeys living in Chinese forests.

The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is one of the rarest and most unusual primates of the Monkey family (Cercopithecidae). In China, it is also called the snow, gold, money and silk monkey.

It is widely believed that it can bring good luck and wealth. In order to improve financial well-being, the Chinese depicted it on household utensils back in the 3rd century.

The first among Europeans to see the snub-nosed monkey in natural conditions was the French missionary Jean-Pierre Armand David during his mission to China in the 70s of the 19th century. The monkey's lively disposition, intelligence and cheerfulness made an indelible impression on him. He was so fascinated by this creature that he came up with a Latin name for it in honor of Roksolana, the wife of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Spreading

The golden snub-nosed monkey lives in the mountain coniferous and mixed forests of Southeast China in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Hubei and Shaanxi. The habitat is located at altitudes from 1200 to 3300 m above sea level.

The largest population has adapted to life in the forested Shennongjia region in western Hubei, where everything is covered in snow during the long winter months and temperatures often drop below -20°C. In summer, the heat here reaches 38°C, and the air humidity rises to 90 percent.

The special structure of the upper respiratory tract helps primates survive in such difficult climatic conditions. According to many zoologists, snub nose allows you to save energy when breathing and appeared during evolutionary selection.

Behavior

Snub-nosed monkeys are active during daylight hours. Peak activity occurs in the early morning and afternoon. During this period, primates are busy inspecting their home area and searching for food.

They feel equally at home both in trees and on the ground. On hard surfaces they move on all fours, but easily assume a vertical position. Monkeys quickly jump from branch to branch and are able to cover up to 4 km along the treetops in a day. In winter, animal mobility decreases.

This species of primate lives in small groups, which usually consist of a male, several females and their offspring.

The group can include from 9 to 18 individuals. It is headed by a male. Conflicts often break out between females due to attempts to rise higher in the social hierarchy.

Many strangers strive to displace the leader and take his place. Showdowns among applicants for the position of head of the harem occur through gestures, threats and fights. It is interesting that females often take the side of their rightful overlord and together drive away the guest performers who are unpleasant to them. When an outsider leads a harem, he usually kills the offspring of the previous leader.

In addition to family groups, there are youth groups consisting of 4-7 young males. Sometimes one or more groups may join together for a period of time and then disband. In general, the social hierarchy is very fluid. The group's home plot occupies up to 40 square meters. km and often intersects with other areas.

In the summer, monkeys feed on fruits, berries, nuts and young shoots of plants. In winter, they mainly switch to lichens and tree bark. In the summer they climb the mountains into coniferous forests, and with the onset of cold weather they descend into the valleys.

Reproduction

The mating season runs from September to November. Females ready for reproduction begin to literally make eyes at the male. Having attracted attention, they begin short runs near him, trying to most effectively demonstrate their charming charms.

Sometimes the fashion show of beauties lasts for several hours. The leader, with a sense of undisguised pride, demonstrates the strength of his character and the ability to control himself.

Pregnancy lasts about 6 months. Babies are born from March to April. Each mother usually has only one cub. The baby's fur is black except for its light gray belly. In addition to the mother, other females can take part in its upbringing.

Milk feeding lasts up to 1.5 years. The gradual transition to solid food begins at six months of age. Three-year-old males leave the parental group, and females usually remain in it for life. They become sexually mature at 5-7 years of age.

Description

The body length is 48-68 cm. The tail is slightly longer than the body. Females weigh on average 11-12 kg, and males can reach a weight of 18-20 kg. Weight can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions and the time of year.

The body and limbs are colored in various shades of reddish-yellow. The back and tail are dark brown. The fur is relatively long.

The face is white and bare. The skin around the eyes is painted sky blue. The nose is snub and short. The nostrils are directed forward. In older individuals they almost reach the forehead.

The lifespan of golden snub-nosed monkeys is about 20 years. The population size, according to various estimates, is estimated at 10 to 20 thousand animals.

One day, a priest named Arman David came to China. But, instead of studying religion, he began to study strange snub-nosed monkeys with golden fur. Why did they attract him so much?

Take a look at these monkeys for yourself and you will understand that you can’t help but pay attention to such beauties! That same priest decided to come up with a name for these red-haired beauties. And he gave them a name... Roksolana, in honor of the beloved wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent - the famous ruler of the Ottoman Empire of the 16th century. Why? Did the beautiful Roksolana look like a monkey? Not at all! She just had an upturned snub nose, which the visionary priest remembered. So the monkey began to bear the name Pygathrix roxellana in the scientific world. These mammals belong to the monkey family of the primate order and are part of the genus Pygatrix.

Appearance of the monkey Roksolana

Adult snub-nosed monkeys grow up to 75 centimeters in length, but this does not take into account the tail, which sometimes makes up 100% of the body length (from 50 to 70 centimeters). Females of this species are larger than males.

The weight of females ranges from 25 to 35 kilograms, while males weigh about 16 kilograms.

What is most striking about the appearance of these monkeys is their coloring. Their muzzle is not covered with hair, the skin on it is bluish-blue in color. The fur is thick, around the head and in the neck area - bright red, which is why the monkeys were called golden. The rest of the body is colored grayish-brown. The chest area and part of the belly are white. Look at the photo - they are so cute, aren't they?

Where do golden snub-nosed monkeys live?

These mammals can be found in China - in the southern and central parts. And the largest population lives in a reserve located in Sichuan province.

Lifestyle of golden monkeys

Snub-nosed monkeys are very unpretentious animals.

For the most part they are arboreal animals. They very rarely come down to earth, only when absolutely necessary. It is worth noting that, if necessary, snub-nosed monkeys can overcome even small bodies of water.

Scientists note that golden monkeys prefer to live in large herds, sometimes the number of individuals in them reaches 600 monkeys. In the spring months, Roksolans are divided into smaller groups - 60 individuals each.

These monkeys feel comfortable in the subtropical zone. Sometimes they can be found in mountainous areas up to an altitude of 3000 meters, because thanks to their warm fur, snub-nosed monkeys are not afraid of weather changes.

Golden monkeys are very mobile creatures; in the blink of an eye they can climb to the highest branch of a tree, so that no one can catch up with them.

What does the golden snub-nosed monkey eat?

Despite the large teeth, the snub-nosed monkey is a herbivorous creature.

These creatures are completely undemanding when it comes to food. Whenever possible, they eat fruits, berries and nuts. If these “products” are not available, then monkeys can satisfy their appetite with bark, bamboo shoots, leaves, branches, wild onions, pine needles and even lichens.

How do golden snub-nosed monkeys reproduce?

The mating season begins in August and lasts until November. To attract the attention of the male, the female monkey begins to “bewitch” him: first she looks intently at her chosen one, and then abruptly runs away from him. But not every male responds to such signs of attention. Apparently the male golden monkey is not that easy to please!

If, nevertheless, a pair is formed, then the monkeys begin mating. The female carries the cubs for about 7 months. Snub-nosed monkeys give birth to 1–2 babies. After birth, the mother takes care of the offspring, and the father only takes care of the babies’ fur.

The Burmese snub-nosed monkey, or Rhinopithecus strykeri, is a species of slender-bodied monkey that scientists discovered in Burma in 2010. They are often confused with the bright orange Rhinopithecus roxellana, which lives in central and southern China.

The snub-nosed monkey was discovered in 2010 by a team from Myanmar Primate Conservation, sponsored by John Stryker. This new monkey was named after him. Scientists conducting an expedition in northern Burma received skulls and bones of the future Rhinopithecus strykeri from local hunters. Scientists examined the remains and decided that they may belong to an as yet undescribed species. Further, scientists still managed to discover primates in the valleys of the Mekong and Salween rivers. According to scientists, only one population of Burmese snub-nosed monkeys has been discovered - about 300 individuals.

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Besides its distinctive black coloration with a white muzzle, the main feature of this monkey is its deformed, raised nose (see photo). According to local hunters, when it rains, the monkey sneezes loudly as water gets into their nose. Therefore, often when it rains, she can be seen sitting and lowering her head between her knees, thereby protecting herself from the rain. The locals call this monkey “mey nwoah”, which in Burmese means “monkey with its head raised up”. The Burmese monkey is on the verge of extinction due to the fact that local people eat it and it has no cultural value for them. The Burmese snub-nosed monkey is the rarest species of the primate order.

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Science learned about the existence of the Burmese snub-nosed monkey only in 2010. There are extremely few of these monkeys and they are lost in a small area of the deep jungle. However, local tribes have been familiar with these animals for a long time and call them the monkey with an inverted face. And all because she sneezes when it rains.

The nostrils of the Burmese snub-nosed monkey are very short. This causes her to sneeze from the raindrops. Wanting to protect himself from this, the monkey sits during the rain with his head bowed and hidden between his knees. Locals often saw her with her head down.

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Rhinopithecus strykeri is still poorly studied, but for now we will report on what is known. The monkey's fur is mostly black. She has a mane of long black hair on her head. Their face is pink, without any hair. However, the monkey wears a whitish mustache and beard.

The Burmese snub-nosed monkey is about half a meter tall. But the tail is one and a half times longer than the rest of the body.

Presumably, three or four flocks live in an area of 270 square kilometers. They live only in the northeast of Burma, that is, in the Eastern Himalayas at an altitude of 1700 (in winter) to 3200 meters (in summer, when there is no snow), in isolation from other primates. Their total number is estimated at 260-330 monkeys.

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"It's just incredible to discover a new species of primate, especially a new species of snub-nosed monkey, because it's extremely, extremely rare," Frank Momberg, director of Asia-Pacific development at the international charity Fauna & Flora, told the BBC. International (FFI). Including these snub-nosed monkeys, Burma now has 15 species of primates, highlighting the country's importance to the conservation of biodiversity on earth."

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International charity Fauna & Flora International is calling for urgent action to protect the newly discovered primate species. They primarily address their appeals to timber traders. “If we can convince local people to stop hunting snub-nosed monkeys and create a patrol team, and provide alternative livelihoods for those who rely entirely on logging for income, we can save [the species] from extinction,” - said Frank Momberg.

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Golden snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus Roxelanov, (originally Rhinopithecus roxellanae, Now Pygathrix roxellana) - a species of Chinese monkeys. Species name roxellanae formed on behalf of the legendary beauty Roksolana, who was distinguished by her upturned nose.

They are distinguished by a very unusual and bright appearance: the fur is orange-golden, the face is blue, and the nose is as snub-nosed as possible. Very rare, listed in the Red Book.

They live in Southern and Central China. The largest populations are in Wolong National Nature Reserve (Sichuan).

Images of monkeys are often found on antique Chinese vases and silk-screen prints.

Appearance

The body length (with head) of adult monkeys is up to 75 cm, the tail length is 50 - 70 cm. The weight of males is 16 kg, females are much larger: 25-35 kg.

Sexual maturity occurs in males at 7 years, in females at 4 - 5 years. Pregnancy is seven months long. The cubs are raised by both parents.

Lifestyle

Formally they live in the subtropics, but in mountainous areas at an altitude of one and a half to three thousand meters, for which the Chinese nicknamed them “snow monkey”.

In summer they climb higher into the mountains (where the temperature is lower), in winter they descend to heights of about a thousand meters above sea level.

They spend most of their lives in trees. At the slightest danger they climb to their tops.

They feed mainly (when there is no fruit) on tree bark, pine needles, and lichens.