National First-Level Protected Animal List 1 – Bee Monkey

Bee monkey (scientific name: Nycticebus bengalensis) is a type of monkey belonging to the family of bee monkeys, with 9 subspecies. It is a small and slow-moving monkey, a lower-level monkey, with a body length of 28-38 cm. Two small ears are hidden in the fluffy round head; the eyes are round and large. The limbs are short and thick and equal in length, and the second toe retains a hook claw. The back is brown-gray or orange-yellow, with a brown-brown ridge running from the top to the base of the tail, and the abdomen is brown. The eyes, ears, and all have black-brown ring patterns.

Bee monkeys live in tropical rainforests and subtropical monsoon forests, living entirely in trees and rarely going to the ground. They like to be solitary and move particularly slowly, only accelerating when attacked, so they are also known as ‘lazy monkeys’. During the day, they curl up into a ball and hide in tree holes or on branches, and they come out to forage at night, feeding on the fruits of plants, and also preying on insects, small birds, and bird eggs. Breeding occurs throughout the year, with a gestation period of 5-6 months, and births often occur in winter, with one offspring per litter.

Distribution is found in Yunnan and southern Guangxi, mainly in Southeast Asia.