Rhinopithecus bieti A.Milne-Edwards, 1897

Common Names and Taxonomy

The black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti), also called the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, is a large black-and-white primate that lives only in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. Local people know this species as the Yunnan golden hair monkey (Chinese: 滇金丝猴) and the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (黑白仰鼻猴). Note that the common name "black snub-nosed monkey" refers instead to Rhinopithecus strykeri, a species that lives on the northern Sino-Myanmar border.

Habitat Type

This primate favors mountainous coniferous and deciduous forests in Yunnan as its habitat.

Altitude Adaptations

It has unique environmental adaptations that let it thrive at extreme altitudes, even with below-freezing temperatures and thin air.

Diet

Its diet consists mainly of the abundant lichens found in its native region.

Conservation Status

This species is threatened by habitat loss and is classified as endangered.

Geographic Distribution

This species has a highly restricted distribution in the biodiverse Nujiang Lancang Gorge alpine conifer and mixed forests of the Yun Range, which is part of the larger Hengduan Mountains.

Population Size

Only 17 groups with a total population of fewer than 1,700 individuals survive in northwest Yunnan and adjacent regions in the Autonomous Prefecture of Tibet.

Home Range

Each group occupies a home range between 20 and 135 square kilometers.

Preferred Habitat Features

Deciduous and coniferous forests, where lichen grows abundantly year-round, are their preferred habitat.

Reproductive Cycle Comparison

The reproductive cycles of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys are generally similar to those of golden snub-nosed monkeys. However, births in this species typically occur two to three months later, due to its colder climate.

Birthing Behavior

Like most primates, this snub-nosed monkey gives birth at night, which makes births hard for researchers to observe. One rare observation of a daytime birth recorded that a multiparous female assisted another female during the birthing process, in a behavior similar to human midwifery.