“Old World” Monkeys Go From Near-Extinct, to Thriving!

China’s golden snub-nosed monkeys, once hunted and nearly wiped out, are making a remarkable recovery thanks to decades of protection, reforestation, and community involvement.

“I’m very optimistic,” said Professor Yang Jingyuan, director of the Shennongjia National Park Scientific Research Institute. “Their home is now very well protected… and their numbers are growing.”

In the 1980s, fewer than 500 monkeys survived in the mountains of Shennongjia, as hunting and logging devastated their forest home. When Prof. Yang arrived in 1991, he devoted his career to understanding and protecting this unique species. By slowly gaining the animals’ trust and leading large-scale restoration efforts, tree cover has increased from 60% to 96%, and the monkey population has risen to around 1,600 today. With careful monitoring and support from local communities, the population is expected to surpass 2,000 within the next decade. This turnaround shows how determined conservation can bring even the most endangered animals back from the brink.