Did a Golden Monkey Wander Down from Emeishan Mountain to Forage? The Truth Lies Here

Recently, videos and photos of a golden monkey 'wandering and foraging' have frequently appeared in many citizens' WeChat, attracting the attention of local citizens and foreign friends to the lives and health condition of the golden monkey group.

Screenshot of the video

Some friends couldn't help but ask after seeing the photos and videos: Is it because the Emeishan scenic area is temporarily closed, and the monkeys can't find food and therefore wandered down? To this end, the editor contacted the Emeishan Scenic Area Management Committee to find the answer.

Golden monkeys photographed by netizens

I. Are the golden monkeys on Emeishan hungry?

Golden monkeys on Emeishan are golden snub-nosed monkeys, which are omnivorous, mainly eating wild fruits, tender plants and insects. In winter, there are fewer edible foods available for the monkey group on Emeishan Mountain, and the scenic area management committee arranges special personnel to feed the monkey group every winter to ensure the normal wintering of the monkey group. Even if the Emeishan scenic area temporarily stops open to the outside world during this period, the scenic area staff still feed the monkeys every day.

Staff of the scenic area feeding the monkey group

II. Are the 'wandering' golden monkey brothers and sisters without food and wandering down to forage?

Golden snub-nosed monkeys are gregarious, and the monkey groups usually consist of 10-20 or 30 golden monkeys. The monkey groups often fight due to territory and food, and the defeated monkey will be driven out of the monkey group to find its own survival place. Recently, there was a 'monkey king' dispute near the Hongchiping area of the scenic area, and 1 defeated golden snub-nosed monkey was driven out of the monkey group by the monkey group. The forestry department has been closely monitoring the situation of the monkey, but the vast forest area of the scenic area cannot accurately determine its whereabouts. Forest rangers observed it appearing near Gaohongzha Town, Zhanggou area, near Luanyisi, and disappeared after appearing near Baoguo Temple on January 14.

Golden monkey group 'having a meal'

On February 2nd, the scenic area management committee received a phone call from Huangwan Village residents, and a golden monkey appeared in the Huangwan entrance area of the scenic area. The forestry department staff immediately arrived at the scene and found that this golden monkey was the 'defeated monkey king' that had been driven out of the Hongchiping monkey group. Wildlife protection experts said: 'The defeated monkey king' leaving the monkey group is a natural phenomenon, and according to the characteristics of the monkey group, this monkey is unable to return to the monkey group, as long as it does not enter the human activity area, it is suggested not to interfere with its activities.

To do a good job of wildlife protection and to prevent golden monkeys from being injured during 'wandering', the forestry department found this 'former monkey king' on the afternoon of the 3rd and promptly sent it to the Leshan Wild Animal Rescue Station for care.

The 'wandering' former monkey king in the rescue station's 'home'

Currently, the golden monkey group's life status is normal, and its health condition is good, thank you citizens and tourists for their attention to the golden monkeys of Emeishan.

Source: Wei Emeishan