Preliminary Field-Based Assessment of Disease Symptoms and Physical Wounds in Endangered Shennongjia Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellanahubeiensis) Colonies: Implications for Conservation

Background

Globally, approximately 60% of primate taxa are in danger of extinction and the population of 75% of primate species are declining in their natural habitats. The Endangered R. roxellana hubeiensis monkeys in Shennongjia National Park face threats due to their limited genetic diversity and restricted habitat.

Method

Our study aimed to assess the health of these monkeys through focal animal sampling observations of 90 individuals from June 2023 to July 2024. Additionally, we compared the prevalence of health concerns on days with and without snow. We identified health issues in 32 individuals (46%), including wounds, signs suggesting disease, and deaths.

Results

Nine lactating females one juvenile and one infant had eye injuries. We noticed three females and one male exhibiting symptoms of eye diseases. We observed that one adult male and three females showed signs of respiratory disease, while three females exhibited signs of skin disease. We found that one adult male and three females indicated signs of respiratory disease and three females showed signs of skin disease. We found that seven monkeys of different ages, including adults, juveniles and infants, died from injuries, diseases and unknown causes. Respiratory and skin disease symptoms were more common on snowy days than on non-snowy days. Additionally, physical and eye injuries were also more prevalent on snowy days.

Conclusions

In general, our study investigated the health status of Shennongjia golden snub-nosed monkeys and found signs of disease, wounds, and death. Our study also highlighted health issues in monkeys, which can help guide conservation efforts to ensure their survival in their natural habitats.