The fourth survey conducted in the Shennongjia Forestry District in central China's Hubei Province has revealed a notable increase in the population of golden monkeys, attributed to dedicated efforts in its habitat protection.
The area is now home to 1,618 golden monkeys from 11 populations, 147 more than the previous survey five years ago, according to the results of the fourth survey conducted from April to June by 840 people from the Shennongjia Nation Park. The monkeys are distributed across an area of 401 square kilometers in Shennongjia.
During the survey, the researchers explored 240 survey routes, covering a total distance of 58,800 km.
Golden monkeys are a flagship species for biodiversity conservation in Shennongjia. They inhabit in mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests at altitudes above 1,600 meters, primarily feeding on flowers, fruits, leaves, and bark of plants.
They are the most important indicator species for biodiversity conservation in the Shennongjia Nation Park.
"We predicted that its potential distribution area has already reached about 300 square kilometers. To avoid omissions and duplication, we divided this area into multiple grids, and conducted a thorough survey across each grid, so this time the scale of the survey was the biggest in history with the largest number of people involved," said Yang Jingyuan, director of the Scientific Research Institute under the Shennongjia National Park Administration.
As the easternmost habitat of golden monkeys, Shennongjia saw only 501 golden monkeys with a habitat of 164 square km in 1990. The figures improved over the years, with 1,282 monkeys living an area of 189 square km in 2005, and 1,471 residing in an area of 354 square km in 2019.
"It is our first time using far infrared sensing drones to accurately count each population of golden monkeys," said Li Diqiang, chief scientist of the Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection under the Chinese Academy of Forestry.
In the survey, the team not only got the whole picture of the number and distribution of golden monkey populations, but also used molecular biology and remote sensing technology to study the activity patterns and dietary composition of golden monkey groups, providing more scientific and intelligent means for the protection and management of golden monkeys.
Population of rare golden monkeys grows in Shennongjia forest
