Wednesday, 11 January 2012 17:09 Mizzima News
(Mizima) - Scientists working in a remote area have taken the first picture of a rare Burmese snub-nosed monkey in Kachin State near the Chinese border.
A team of scientist from the Fauna and Flora International, Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) and People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) captured the images via a remote camera set up in isolated, forested mountain terrain, according to an article on the Asia Pacific News website.
To date, no scientist has seen the species live in Burma. Hunters say the monkey frequently sneezes and when there is rain, it walks with its head toward the ground.
The article said the images showed a troupe of monkeys walking past, and some were carrying babies.
According to Wikipedia, Snub-nosed monkeys have been found in southern China as well as the northern parts of Vietnam and Burma. They have relatively multicolored and long fur especially on the shoulders and backs.
Snub-nosed monkeys inhabit mountain forests up to a height of 4,000 meters, and in the winter move to secluded regions. They spend the majority of their life in the trees and live in very large groups of up to 600 members. In times of little food, they break up into smaller groups. The mainly eat tree needles, bamboo buds, fruits and leaves, according to the article. Zoologists know little about their lifespan.
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