Biodiversity & Habitat Preservation: Snub-Nosed Monkey Project
Biodiversity & Habitat Preservation: Snub-Nosed Monkey Project
Program Details & Highlights
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
Program Description
The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey (“snubbies” for short) is an extremely rare primate found only in Tibet and Southwest China. There are estimates that only about 15 isolated groups consisting of approximately 1,000 individual monkeys remaining. These monkeys are endangered primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Each year, deforestation is increasingly harming this tree-dwelling species, and they risk losing their forest home and food sources to agricultural expansion. Other activities, such as intensive hunting and trapping, are also a threat to their survival. Given that these monkeys only live within areas of high altitude and low temperatures, even small changes to their habitats either by humans or through the effects of climate change are detrimental. Fortunately, the needs of this endangered species have not gone unnoticed, and government institutions as well as biologists have gathered to spread awareness about the conservation of biodiversity in Yunnan, with particular attention to the Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkeys.
We will bring a Keru Team to investigate the effects of climate change and human activities on the Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkeys, as well as observe their current situation within their natural habitat. Through this program, students will also utilize scientific methods and research skills in the field. At the end of the program, students will develop and share an outreach plan for Snub-Nosed habitat preservation.
Local Partner
The Keru Research Team functions as a data-driven think tank for solutions and insights to development issues. Based on partnerships with governments, non-profits, social enterprises and other community actors, our research team is active in rural China and Southeast Asia, and focuses on a wide range of topics related to the UN sustainable development goals. Our outputs include research papers, concept notes, innovative solution proposals, and white paper.
Content Expert
Dr. Yongcheng Long
Yongcheng Long is the former Chief Scientist for China Program of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (2010-2015) and the former chairman for China Primatology Society and now the honorary chairman for China Primatological Society, the vice chairman for science committee of Yunnan Nature & Culture Conservation Facilitation Society, and the board member for Yunnan Zoological Society. Yongcheng Long has dedicated most of his professional life focused on conserving and researching the Yunnan snubby (Rhinopithecus bieti), which is also known as Yunnan golden monkey or Yunnan snub-nosed monkey. Moreover, Yongcheng Long was successfully in sending three proposals to China's annual national people congress with the first one for saving Hainan gibbon in 2015, the second one for saving Yunnan snubby in 2017, and the third one for saving China's remained primary forest.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Sign up by scanning the QR code above.
Participate in a 15-minute video interview with a Keru staff member.
Wait for the Keru admission decision.