Nature reserve acts to protect endangered monkeys

GUIYANG -- A nature reserve in Southwest China's Guizhou province has allocated more than 24 million yuan ($3.8 million) over the past eight years to relocate residents to improve the habitat of endangered Francois' langur monkeys.

About 554 Francois' langurs inhabit the Mayanghe National Nature Reserve in Guizhou, and more than 30,000 people also live in the reserve.

Houses, roads and electrical facilities have impacted the migration and spread of the species, and the monkeys often competed with livestock for food, said Wu Ankang, director of the nature reserve.

In 2009, the reserve began to relocate residents and spent more than 1 million yuan to help them develop local ecological industries in an effort to improve the habitat of Francois' langurs.

Also known as Francois' leaf monkeys, the species is one of China's most endangered wild animals and is under top national-level protection. It is also one of the endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list.

About 1,500 leaf monkeys are found in China's Guizhou, Guangxi and Chongqing.