Meet Yunnan golden monkey at Baima Snow Mountain in Yunnan.

"Listen, the leaves rustle, that’s the voice of the monkeys approaching. We will hurry up the mountain and try to observe the Yunnan golden monkey at close range. " Under the urging of Lai Jiandong, the stationmaster of Yunnan Baima Snow Mountain Wildlife Rescue Station, 13 students from Tsinghua University Institute of Economics and Management who participated in the summer social practice accelerated their pace.

Walking in a hurry, just to see the true face of the "gentleman" Yunnan golden monkey.

Yunnan golden monkey is a national first-class protected wild animal and an endangered species endemic to China. As the highest-altitude primate in the world, Yunnan golden monkey is only distributed in 7000 square kilometers of high-altitude virgin forest between Lancang River and Jinsha River at the junction of Tibet and Yunnan. It is regarded as the flagship symbol of biodiversity in northwest Yunnan and one of the most representative species in Yunnan.

Xiangguqing Yunnan golden monkey exhibition group Huangshan photo

"The reason why they are called’ gentlemen’ is that Yunnan golden monkeys are’ civilized and elegant’, and generally do not attack and harm humans, nor do they go to villages to destroy them. Yunnan golden monkey will not scratch or bite. However, it is still necessary to keep a distance to avoid injury and infection. " Lai Jiandong introduced while walking.

In 1960s, Yunnan golden monkey was once considered extinct, until 1964, when experts from Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted an animal survey in Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, they collected skins of Yunnan golden monkey, which confirmed that this species was not extinct. Yu Jianhua, a former hunter and 72-year-old monkey guard captain, recalled the Yunnan golden monkey and said, "When I was a child, I just heard from the old people in the village and never saw it with my own eyes."

In order to better protect Yunnan golden monkey, since 1983, Yunnan Province has successively established four protected areas, including Baima Snow Mountain, Yunlong Tianchi, Lanping Yunling and Lijiang Laojun Mountain, with a total area of over 478,000 hectares. In recent years, 990.66 hectares of Yunnan golden monkey habitat outside the protected area has been included in the protection scope, creating good conditions for the recovery and growth of Yunnan golden monkey population.

From 1997 to 1999, the special investigation of Yunnan golden monkey organized by Yunnan forestry authorities showed that the natural population of Yunnan golden monkey was 13 groups, with a population of 1400-1700. After years of protection, the population of Yunnan golden monkey has increased to more than 3300. "Baima Snow Mountain National Nature Reserve is the largest Yunnan golden monkey reserve in China, and it is also a paradise for Yunnan golden monkeys. At present, the number of Yunnan golden monkeys here has reached more than 2,500. " Lai Jiandong said.

Walking to an open field in the mountains, you can see dozens of Yunnan golden monkeys stopping on branches or chasing and playing in the mountains. The fur of Yunnan golden monkey is not golden yellow, but mainly gray-black and white. There is a pointed black crown hair on the top of the head, blue-gray or pink around the eyes and nose, and the nose is dark blue. The back, hands, feet and tail of the body are gray-black, and there are sparse gray hairs on the back. The abdomen, neck, buttocks and inner limbs of the body are all white.

"Usually, a Yunnan golden monkey population consists of an adult male, several adult females and several young monkeys. Adult male individuals are bigger than female individuals, and their buttocks are full of white hair, which is dubbed as’ white shorts’. After learning the survival skills, young monkeys will also leave the ethnic life. In the observation, we also found an all-male unit, which is composed of all male individuals. The members include the defeated and retired old male monkeys and the young male monkeys who have not formed a family. " Lai Jiandong introduced.

Over the years, Baima Snow Mountain National Nature Reserve has kept observing Yunnan golden monkey and steadily promoted the work of popular science education.

There is a popular science education base for Yunnan golden monkey in the nature reserve, covering an area of 334.16 square kilometers, which is the only place in the world where you can watch Yunnan golden monkey at close range. In the popular science education base, there are rare and protected plants such as Taxus yunnanensis and water green tree. In addition to Yunnan golden monkey, there are more than 10 rare and protected animals such as forest musk deer, red panda and black-necked pheasant. The forest coverage rate here is as high as 98.2%, which is called "a paradise for animals and plants". In the exhibition hall of the popular science education base, there are also many kinds of rare and protected animal specimens, among which the Yunnan golden monkey specimen with the largest number and the most complete scale is very precious.

As a window for close observation of Yunnan golden monkey, the popular science education base provides rich natural education resources. This summer social practice activity jointly organized by Zhongjin Public Welfare Foundation and Tsinghua University Institute of Economics and Management provides a useful attempt for students to explore how to effectively realize the harmonious coexistence between man and nature in a specific ecological and economic environment.

"The theme of this social practice is’ green and low carbon+biodiversity+rural revitalization’. In Lanping Bai Pumi Autonomous County, Zhongjin Public Welfare Foundation cooperated with China Green Carbon Sink Foundation to develop the’ carbon neutral forest’ project, and planted 112,000 fir and spruce trees. The project has not only achieved the goal of coping with climate change, but also an effective nature-based means to protect biodiversity. Usnea, a parasitic plant growing on fir and spruce, is one of the foods of Yunnan golden monkey. In order to allow students to visually observe the golden monkey, we chose to study in the popular science education base. " Lin Baichuan, team leader and member of the secretariat of CICC Public Welfare Foundation, introduced.

At the same time, CICC Public Welfare Foundation coordinated professional tutors in finance, economics, sociology and ecology, and designed four modules, namely, green finance, green transformation, community development and ecological protection, to help students conduct in-depth research on hot topics such as green and low-carbon development, conservation of germplasm resources and biodiversity, and unified carbon market construction, so as to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the country’s strategic layout, policy orientation and market behavior.

The eating of usnea by Yunnan golden monkey is also based on years of observation in the reserve. At present, there are 25 monkeys in Xiangguqing Yunnan Golden Monkey Protection Team in Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, and its captain Yu Jianhua has been following Yunnan Golden Monkey for 28 years, rain or shine. "The monkey is very smart, knowing that there are pineapples here to eat, and some people are busy watching. Every morning, they come over to eat and play. We will follow them when they go up the mountain. We won’t go home until the monkey sleeps after 8 pm, and we will come to the monkey again at 5 am the next day. "

This group of relatives and observable monkeys is called Xiangguqing Yunnan golden monkey display group. More than 150 baby monkeys have been born, and the survival rate is over 85%. 125 Yunnan golden monkeys have been released in groups, which has well supplemented the number of wild monkeys and promoted gene exchange. At the same time, the number of people watching Yunnan golden monkey at close range has exceeded 300,000, which has greatly enhanced the popularity and influence of Yunnan golden monkey, and also provided a foundation for relevant experts and scholars to study the behavior and ecology of Yunnan golden monkey and promote the better protection of wild population.

Protecting wild animals and plants such as Yunnan golden monkey has brought good ecology and benefited residents in nearby communities. Bee farmer Yu Xinhua earns 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a year by beekeeping and planting Chinese herbal medicines, which is much higher than before. "I now have three bee farms with 60 boxes of bees, and the filtered honey can be sold to 140 yuan per kilogram. Good honey in a good environment is very popular, and some customers let me send it by express delivery. " Yu Xinhua introduced.

In the world natural heritage site with three parallel rivers, Yunnan golden monkey and 20% higher plants and animals in China live happily and roam the mountains. This vast alpine virgin forest ecosystem is a true portrayal of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. (Huangshan yangshua)