Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in southwest China captured rare footage of two species of sub-nosed monkeys, both are rare and endangered species under the first-class state protection.

In Songpan Country of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, an infrared camera captured a golden snub-nosed monkey family enjoying their time in the forest. The footage also includes a rare "family photo" of the monkey species, showing the whole family sitting in front of the camera, with grown-ups squatting in the back row, and a monkey cub at the front, which serves as valuable evidence for studies on the family structures of the monkeys.

The camera also recorded close shots of an adult male monkey, which is of great significance with its giant body size, and two adult female monkeys, one of them holding tight a cub. The footage clearly captured detailed features of the endangered animals.

In the Yunling Nature Reserve in Lanping County of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, workers recorded black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys playing and foraging for food. Springtime provides the monkeys with abundant delicacies, including Manchurian maple, azaleas, bamboo leaves, and Usnea lichen.

Snub-nosed monkeys, also known as golden hair monkeys in China, are listed as rare and endangered species under the first-class state protection in China and as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Of all the five species of the primate genus, three can only be found in China. The discoveries mark the enhanced protection of the wild animals and a greener environment that provides stable habitats for the creatures.