Golden Snub-nosed Monkey

Native to the temperate, mountainous forests of central and southwest China, the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, named for its golden hair, is the most widely distributed primate throughout the country.

It spends upward of 97% of its time in surrounding canopies across four Chinese provinces, using lichens as its main food source. Changes in home range size and location are dependent upon the availability and distribution of food, which tends to be seasonal.

Additionally, due to the colder temperatures of its habitat, in which snow can be found for up to six months of the year, the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey sleeps in clusters to conserve heat. 

This plays to its social nature and organization, which consists of multi-tier societies led by a singular male. Females have a gestation period of 7 months and give birth to a single baby with babies being looked after by the mother and her ‘helpers’.