The Magazine of The Sierra Club
Year of the Monkey, for the Monkey
Jane Goodall once said, “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” Since this week marks the start of the Year of the Monkey, it’s a good excuse to celebrate the actual primates that live throughout Asia. With their doe eyes and killer hairdos, these three charming species top our list. They’re also all endangered. Conservationists are hoping that this year might prove to be a lucky one for our furry brethren. Check out this important message from Dr Goodall herself.
Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey
Rhinopithecus roxellana
Take a good look at the seldom seen golden snub-nosed monkey whose home is in the high temperate, mountain forests of central China. With their thick, reddish coats, these monkeys can withstand the coldest average temperature of any non-human primate in the world. Throughout the year, these diurnal herbivores feed mainly on lichen found in dead trees, subsidizing their diet with shrubs, vines, and insects. The adorable, blue-faced primates are coveted for their thick, golden fur and the medicinal properties their bones are purported to have. Although hunting has taken a toll, shrinking habitat is the biggest threat to their numbers: about 20,000 of them remain throughout the world. Thankfully, their ecosystem overlaps with that of the giant panda, and in recent years, they have benefited from the zealous habitat preservation of that better-known species.
Photo by iStockphoto/Jia He
Gibbons
Hylobatidae
Natives of Southeast Asia, the 12 species of gibbons are masters of locomotion, using their strong, hook-shaped hands, long arms, specially adapted shoulder joints, and powerful legs to propel them through the jungle at speeds up to 35 mph. They slow down to grab snacks from the abundant fruit trees that thrive in their tropical range, which extends from northeastern India to southern China to Borneo. Gibbons are the most bipedal of all non-human primates, and they are monogamous, which is rare among primates. Family groups of one male, one female, and one or two children will fill their forest territory with song to let the world know it’s their stake. Highly intelligent and capable of understanding complex emotions, these small species of ape are among the most threatened primates on earth, with the Hainan crested gibbon population estimated at a mere 25 individuals.
Photo by iStock photo/Roberto A. Sanchez
Francois’ Langur
Trachypithecus francoisi
Francois’ Langurs live deep in the rainforests and mangroves of southeastern China, central Laos and Vietnam. Like the Gibbon, Francois’ Langurs use brachiation to swing from one food source to another. A vegetarian, this small monkey has developed a multi-chambered sacculated stomach that helps digest the tough leaves that make up most of its diet. This process takes up a lot of energy, so these primates spend most of their time resting. Other daily tasks include foraging for food, grooming members of their harem family group, or communally caring for one of their bright orange babies. Francois’ Langurs have been hunted for use in traditional medicines, food, and something called ‘black ape wine’, which is believed to cure fatigue and other ailments. There are thought to be about 800 left in the wild.
Photo by Flickr/Elizabeth Haslam
