The Studies On Ethology And Ecology Of Chinese Snub-nosed Monkey In Xiaoshennongjia District

Chinese snub-nosed monkey, being endemic species and listed as rank I protected animal in China, has so far been relatively little known in the ecology and ethology as so not to benefit its effective conservation. The studies on the age structure, food items and spectrum, sleeping site selection, reproductive ecology, daily activity and yearly wandering pattern were conducted with tracking and observing methods in Xiaoshennongjia District, Hubei Province within October, 2000 to June, 2002. The main conclusions from this research are as follows.1. In Xiaoshennongjia district the proportion of each age group of Chinese snub-nosed monkey show significant difference, the male adults, female adults, young and juveniles amount for 28.3 %, 32.0%, 10.42, 28.0%, respectively, of them, the females proportion is higher than the that of the males, the reason is considered that, the death ratio of the males due to protecting whole monkey group is higher than the males during growing up. From the age structure of the studied monkey group, they belong to stable population.2. The research reveal that, Chinese snub-nosed monkey selectively feed the food items of leaves, fresh shoots, buds, berry, seeds, bark, fresh pine leaves, lichen and moss, etc, all these reach up to 45. By comparison with food habits of Chinese snub-nosed monkey in Qinling -Mountain, Shanxi Province and Wolong district, Sichuan Province, both are national reserve with good habitats for monkey. The results show that the monkey food spectrum present certain different from, but is similar with those of Qinling and Wolong monkey, that indicates the monkey in Xiaoshennongjia has good food condition.3. The daily activity rhythm of Chinese snub-nosed monkey is obvious, and also the monkey show strong preference to sleeping site. The present results demonstrate monkey is fast moving to the sleeping site before complete darkness falls down. These sites for sleeping are relatively fixed within a certain period, which was ever considered by other researchers that monkey looked for sleeping site at random beforeevening darkness.4. Chinese snub-nosed monkey in studying area show the going out and back activities between sleeping and feeding sites, but in yearly circle the monkey moves and wanders clockwise around Xiaoshennongjia Mountainland . The reason for forming the pattern of this behavior is discussed and analyzed in detail.5. The field observation indicates that Chinese snub-nosed monkey in Xiaoshennongjia district gives birth of young about early-middle March.In terms of present research, this thesis lists the threat factors to Chinese snub-nosed monkey living here, and the concrete suggestions for improving protection measures and the changing traditional living manners of local people are put forth as to effectively conserve this Chinese snub-nosed monkey in Xiaoshennongjia district.