A group of rare golden snub-nosed monkeys on the Shennongjia Nature Reserve in China's Hubei Forests have captured the world's attention. The family's youngest, a baby, was pictured with a shocked, amazed expression on his face upon encountering his first snowfall on Jan. 12, reported AOL.
The photos were posted by China Plus News, an English-language Chinese news site based out of Beijing.
These monkeys live on the reserve and are protected because the species is on the verge of extinction. The species was first found in Shennongjia in the 60s, in very small numbers. Conservation efforts have helped them double their numbers since the 80s, but there are still only 8000-15000 left in the world. They are mostly found in the mountainous forested areas in southwestern and central China where they withstand freezing temperatures and a snowy climate, said AOL.
The golden yellow-red monkeys have long hair and stunning blue rings around their eyes, said Primate Info. After the age of six, the male's back hairs grow much longer and lighter, which helps them stay warm, said The Dodo. Their faces are amazingly expressive and human-like. They love to spend their time in the trees, and they grow to be up to 40 pounds.
Hopefully we'll see many more photos of these rare monkeys throughout the winter!
