Rhinopithecus roxellana

They are highly social, forming complex multi-level societies: small family units aggregate into larger bands that may number from dozens up to several hundred individuals. Primarily arboreal but seasonally flexible, they forage for leaves, fruits, buds and are notable lichen-eaters in winter; communication includes calls, facial displays and grooming.

Breeding is seasonal, with most births occurring in spring; females typically give birth to a single infant after a gestation of roughly six months. Mothers provide intensive care; juveniles remain socially integrated, and typical interbirth intervals are long (often around 1.5–2 years) because of extended maternal investment.

Adapted for cold, they have exceptionally thick, long fur, short snouts, and nasal features that reduce heat loss; adults show modest sexual dimorphism (males larger, with broader faces). Strong limbs and dextrous hands aid arboreal feeding and travel; their specialized winter diet (including abundant lichens) lets them persist where many tropical primates cannot.

Once more widely distributed across temperate forests of central China, their range and numbers contracted with 19th–20th century hunting, logging and agricultural expansion. Scientific study expanded in the 20th century, revealing their unusual social structure and ecological specialization.

Rhinopithecus roxellana is threatened—classified as Endangered—with populations fragmented by habitat loss, infrastructure and historical hunting. Conservation actions (protected reserves, anti-poaching enforcement, reforestation and community programs) have helped stabilize or increase some local populations, but long-term recovery depends on habitat connectivity and continued protection.