Endangered Species - Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

Animals are being threatened by extinction all over the world – from Elephants in Africa to the Monarch Butterfly in Canada.

A local society, La Société Guernesiaise, encourages the study and conservation of the Bailiwick’s natural environment. Further afield, the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey lives in the mountainous regions of south-western China and is at the top of the state protection list along with the Giant Panda. Breeding in captivity has, however, been successful and it is hoped that new babies will be the beginning of a successful conservation programme for the animal. The Golden Monkey has a big soft blue muzzle, bare bluish skin around the eyes and the feature that gives them their name, a small turned up nose. The Golden Monkey is an elusive and timid creature and has such escaped close and lengthy study by scientists. Much of their behaviour is yet to be documented which makes the need for conservation all the more important. Our miniature sheet featuring the Snub-Nosed Monkey coincides with the Chinese New Year of the Monkey, which begins on 22 January 2004.