The Mount Cangshan scientific research team captured precious images of the national second-class protected wild animal macaques for the first time

      Recently, the Mount Cangshan scientific research team captured precious images of the national second-class protected wild animal macaques for the first time in Yangbi, Cangshan Mountain. This investigation group composes of professionals from Dali University and Yangbi Suboffice of Mount Cangshan Nature Reserve.

      One of the images captured by the infrared cameras in this monitoring system shows a group of wild macaques climbing and playing, sitting and scratching in the dense forest in the reserve.

      They look at the surveillance cameras whimsy grin, which looked really relaxing.

      The other infrared camera filmed that the monkeys slipped into the villagers' fields to steal corn.

      Ma Chi, associate researcher at the College of Agronomy and Biosciences of Dali University, said that the existence of wild macaque populations in Mount Cangshan is recorded in documents, but no information was provided on the distribution and related activities of macaques.

      This is the first time to monitor the activity of macaques on the west slope of Cangshan Mountain, which not only confirms the fact that macaque monkeys exist in Cangshan Mountain, but also contributes to the endangered animal protection and management reserve in Cangshan Mountain.

      It shows that the integrity of biodiversity and habitat environment in Mount Cangshan and Erhai Lake National Nature Reserve and the effectiveness of wildlife protection in the reserve over the years.

      Ma Chunhong, Director of Yangbi Mount Cangshan suboffice, said that "Next step, Yangbi Mount Cangshan suboffice will further establish and improve the biodiversity intelligent monitoring system in the reserve, and deploy more than 30 infrared cameras within the reserve to monitor wild animals. Carrying out long-term grid monitoring, continuously improving the scientific research monitoring capability and informatization construction level of the reserve, provides an important basis for scientific popularize education and scientific research.”

      Let's get to know these little cuties together.

      Macaques (Macaca mulatta), an omnivorous, semi-arboreal and semi-terrestrial primate with a short tail, cheek pouches, brown-gray or brown-yellow back, orange-yellow or orange-red lower part, and grayish-yellow belly.

      It is listed as a second-level national protected animal in China's "National Key Protected Wildlife List", and is listed as a vulnerable species in the "China Red Book of Endangered Animals".

      Macaques are usually diurnal and live in a variety of environments, including coniferous forests, deciduous broad-leaved forests, evergreen broad-leaved forests, mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, which are also often found near human communities. It feeds on leaves, twigs, wild vegetables, etc., but also eats small birds, bird eggs, various insects, and preys on other small animals.