Numbers of very rare monkey species start to swing back to health
Check out this incredible footage of a super rare monkey
- Published
Have you ever heard of a Tonkin snub-nosed monkey?
Chances are that you won't have, as it's one of the world's rarest primates - the name for the group of animals that includes monkeys and apes.
The Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys have been having a hard time - nearly 25 years ago it was thought that they were close to becoming extinct.
But now, 160 of the monkeys have been found in a forest in Vietnam.
That's still not a huge number, but it's good news for conservationists working to protect these amazing animals.
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The survey discovered new baby monkeys, which is a positive step forward
Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys are native to Vietnam, and most of them live in two forests in the north of the country.
A team working for wildlife charity Fauna & Flora have been doing a survey of the monkeys in one of these forests, Khau Ca Species and Habitat Conservation Area.
The survey took 10 days and involved the team using drones, cameras and binoculars to try and spot the creatures.
They even used a special bit of tech called an 'audiomoth', which can listen and recognise the calls of the monkeys.
The team even spotted three baby monkeys in two groups!
The team used lots of tech to capture these incredible images
The total number of Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys is now thought to be around 250, but the team thinks that the new findings show that this is slowly increasing.
Canh Xuan Chu, the team's project manager, said: "These numbers still aren't big. But it is reassuring that we have been able to identify various family groups in Khau Ca and that there is no evidence of trapping or hunting."
They say that hunting was once a big threat to Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, but now one of the biggest threats is deforestation.
More forests being cut down means that the monkeys will have nowhere to live.
The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is classed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List
Tran Van On, a Community Conservation Team member, says that local people have become more aware of the dangers that these monkeys face.
"People are now not only more conscious about protecting this endemic species of Vietnam, but also more aware of the importance of safeguarding forest habitats and other wildlife species."
With more people keeping their eyes on the Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, it's hoped that their numbers can bounce back even more.
