Conservationists were trekking through one of northern Vietnam’s forests when they spotted something special in the treetops.
Looking closer, they discovered it was a rare Tonkin snub-monkey – one of the most endangered primates in the world. Over 80 per cent of its entire population is found in just one forest, the Khau Ca forest in Vietnam’s Ha Giang Province.
And the adult wasn’t alone: it was cradling a baby primate in its arms.
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The infant was also seen crawling along tree branches – though its mother was never too far away.
This sighting occurred during a visit to a project site set up in the forest by conservation charity Fauna & Flora. It was likely a reassuring scene, as glimpses of this snub-nosed monkey have become increasingly rare.
It was believed to be on the brink of extinction until a population of around 50 individuals were discovered by researchers from Fauna & Flora’s Vietnam team in 2002.
Since then, they have worked with Vietnamese authorities to safeguard the population. Earlier this year, a population census confirmed that around 160 individuals live in the Khau Ca forest. The overall population of the species is believed to be around 250, with a separate population living in a forest fragment near the border with China.
