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People PAGE 29 CHINADAILYEUROPEANWEEKLY OCTOBER10-16,2014 By JIA TINGTING [email protected] E verymorningat8,Xiao Zhijinwalksmilestoariver valley,takingbreakfastto hisoldfriendsofnearly26 years,theFrancoislangurs,someof theworld’srarestmonkeys. TheFrancoislangurisathletic butelfininappearance.Withblack silkyhairandverydistinctwhite sideburnsthatgrowdownfromits earstothecornersofitscheeks.The endangeredmonkey,foundmostlyin partsofChinaandVietnam,hasfirst classnationalprotectioninChina. XiaoZhijin,52,haskeptthemorn- ingritualbetweenhimselfandthe Francoislangurssincehestarted tamingthemin1997intheMayanghe naturereserveofYanheTujiaautono- mousprefecture,insouthwestChi- na’sGuizhouprovince. Tenofthemonkeysappearedwhen theyheardXiao’sthreewhistles,then theysatonrocksscatteredalongthe MayangheRiverbank,takingsweet potatochipsfromXiao’shandand eating. “Weshouldhaveseen11ofthem. Maybethemissingoneisdead,”Xiao says,hiseyeswet. Heknowsthatthedepthandveloc- ityofwaterusedforhydropowerin theareacanswallowthebabylan- gurs. “Noonecouldgetclosetothem. Nowthelittlerobbersexpecthim,” saysalocalvillager,referringtoXiao andsmiling. Fedupwiththemonkeysstealing grain,localsnicknamedthelangurs yanzhumonkey,whichinChinese literallymeansgreedypigsinhabiting rocksandcaves. Thevillagersdidn’tknowhow preciousthelangurswereuntilthe Mayanghenaturereservewasupgrad- edtobeanationalreserveforbetter preservationofthelangursin2003. Thetotalnumberoftheprimates isbelievedtobeabout2,000in theworld,andtherewere730(in 76groups)ofFrancoislangursin Mayanghenationalnaturereservein 2004,accordingtoFaunaandFlora International. Toprotectthepreciousspecies, thelocalgovernmentappointedfour workerstofeedthem,butonlyXiao isstillatit. Xiao,theonlysuchcaretakerof FrancoislangursinChina,startedthe feedingswithagroupoffivedwelling inacave. “Inamedtheleaderofthegroup Zhaolai,implyingmyhopethatone daythelangurswouldcomeassoon asIwhistle.” Fortwomonths,Xiaocamped atthemouthofacavethatwas30 metersfromthelangurs’dwelling. Heusedatelescopetoobserve themeveryfiveminutesandrecorded thephysicalcharacteristicsandfood habitsofeachoneinthegroup. Inthefollowingmonth,Xiaoput corn,peanutsandsweetpotatochips atthesametimeeachdayinafixed placewithinthelangurs’territory, enticingthemtocomeandeat. Xiaofinallydecidedtomeetthe langursonChineseNewYear’sDayin 1998whentheyhadbeenaccustomed togettingfoodatthefixedplaceand ontime. “Iwassurprisedandcomforted thattheydidn’trunawaywhenthey sawme,asiftheyknewIwastheman tofeedthem,”Xiaosays. Hethenspentanothermonthto trainthemtorespondtowhistles. “Theyrushedaroundandfled whentheyfirstheardmywhistle,” Xiaosays.Hetriedchangingtheloca- tionofthefood,thenwhistlingthree timestosignalhislocation. Thelangursgraduallyrecognized Xiao’sthreewhistles.Theycameto eatthefood,keepingasafedistance offivetosixmetersfromhim. Overthepasttwodecades,Xiao hasbecomeanexpertonlangurs thankstohisdailyobservationsof theanimals. Hesaysthatbasedonhisyears-long observations,thenumberofFrancois langursinthereserveislimitedto within800becauseonlytheleaderof eachgrouphastherighttomateand breed,andrelationswithothergroups withaleaderaretotallyforbiddenin themonkeys’socialorder. Thelangurs,whoseaveragelife spanisabout26years,cangivebirth toonlyoneoffspringatatime,and theintervalsbetweenbirthslasttwo andahalftothreeyears. “Xiao’sobservationsanddetailed recordshelpalotformystudy,”says HuGang,ananimalbehaviorexpert focusingonFrancoislangurs. Huclassifiedthelangursinfour agegroups:Infantsarelessthanhalf ayearold,teenagersaround2years old,youngadultsroughlybetween4 and5,andgrown-upsbeyond6years old. “Ilovetheblackelfins,butIwon’t spoilthelove,”Xiaosays.Ifthelan- gursdon’tshowupuponhearinghis threewhistleswithinhalfanhour,he willwhistleafourthtime,informing themthatthefoodisgone. “TheFrancoislangursattachgreat importancetofamilyvalues,”says Xiao,whohastamedthreegroupsof langursinsuccession. Hesayshewasmostimpressedby thesecondgroup,whoseleaderhe namedMama. Mama,whowasyoungandstrong, defeatedZhaolaiandtookoverhis groupin2004,enlarginghisown groupto12members. “Mamaenjoyedhisheydaywithhis bigfamilyfornearlyfiveyears,”Xiao says,Mama’sfamilysawtwoinva- sionsashegrewoldandweak,but hesuccessfullydefendedagainstthe firstonewithhissons’help. “It’scruelthatthenewleadermust killbabylangursoftheformerleader whenhetakesthethrone,”Xiaosays. Mamawasfinallydefeatedin2005, andanewbornofhiswaskilledby thenewleader.“That’swhyIdidn’t namethenewleader.” Xiaohasdevotedhisgoldenyears tothereserveandhasdevelopedgray hairandwrinkleswhilewatchingthe “regimechanges”. “Ourfamilydependedonhiswag- es,butwecouldjustscrapebyforthe pasttwodecades,”Xiao’swifesays, shakingherheadwhenXiaoisasked whetheritisrewardingtobeanani- malcaretakerinthereserve. Xiaosaysit’srewardingbecausehe wasnottakingcareofthelangursfor himselfbutfortheworld. “Tamingtheblackelfinswasmy bestdecisioninlife.” Caring for tribes of elfins A MAN IN GUIZHOU PROVINCE HAS SPENT HALF HIS LIFE LOOKING AFTER GROUPS OF VERY RARE AND ENDANGERED MONKEYS YANG JUN / FOR CHINA DAILY Top: Xiao Zhijin blows a whistle to gather the Francois langurs. Above: Xiao feeding the Francois langurs. ZHAO HUI / FOR CHINA DAILY

Caring for tribes of elfins · yanzhu monkey, which in Chinese literally means greedy pigs inhabiting rocks and caves. ... saw me, as if they knew I was the man to feed them,” Xiao

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Page 1: Caring for tribes of elfins · yanzhu monkey, which in Chinese literally means greedy pigs inhabiting rocks and caves. ... saw me, as if they knew I was the man to feed them,” Xiao

People� P A G E 2 9C H I N A � D A I L Y � � � � � � � � � � � � E U R O P E A N � W E E K L Y O C T O B E R � 1 0 - 1 6 , � 2 0 1 4

By JIA [email protected]

E very� morning� at� 8,� Xiao�Zhijin�walks�miles�to�a�river�valley,�taking�breakfast�to�his�old�friends�of�nearly�26�

years,�the�Francois�langurs,�some�of�the�world’s�rarest�monkeys.

The�Francois� langur� is�athletic�but�elfin�in�appearance.�With�black�silky�hair�and�very�distinct�white�sideburns�that�grow�down�from�its�ears�to�the�corners�of�its�cheeks.�The�endangered�monkey,�found�mostly�in�parts�of�China�and�Vietnam,�has�first�class�national�protection�in�China.

Xiao�Zhijin,�52,�has�kept�the�morn-ing�ritual�between�himself�and�the�Francois�langurs�since�he�started�taming�them�in�1997�in�the�Mayanghe�nature�reserve�of�Yanhe�Tujia�autono-mous�prefecture,�in�southwest�Chi-na’s�Guizhou�province.

Ten�of�the�monkeys�appeared�when�they�heard�Xiao’s�three�whistles,�then�they�sat�on�rocks�scattered�along�the�Mayanghe�River�bank,�taking�sweet�potato�chips�from�Xiao’s�hand�and�eating.

“We�should�have�seen�11�of�them.�Maybe�the�missing�one�is�dead,”�Xiao�says,�his�eyes�wet.

He�knows�that�the�depth�and�veloc-ity�of�water�used�for�hydropower�in�the�area�can�swallow�the�baby�lan-gurs.

“No�one�could�get�close�to�them.�Now�the�little�robbers�expect�him,”�says�a�local�villager,�referring�to�Xiao�and�smiling.�

Fed�up�with�the�monkeys�stealing�grain,�locals�nicknamed�the�langurs�yanzhu�monkey,�which�in�Chinese�literally�means�greedy�pigs�inhabiting�rocks�and�caves.�

The�villagers�didn’t�know�how�precious�the�langurs�were�until�the�Mayanghe�nature�reserve�was�upgrad-ed�to�be�a�national�reserve�for�better�preservation�of�the�langurs�in�2003.�

The�total�number�of�the�primates�is� believed� to�be� about� 2,000� in�the�world,�and�there�were�730�(in�76�groups)�of�Francois�langurs�in�Mayanghe�national�nature�reserve�in�2004,�according�to�Fauna�and�Flora�International.�

To�protect�the�precious�species,�the�local�government�appointed�four�workers�to�feed�them,�but�only�Xiao�is�still�at�it.

Xiao,�the�only�such�caretaker�of�Francois�langurs�in�China,�started�the�feedings�with�a�group�of�five�dwelling�in�a�cave.

“I�named�the�leader�of�the�group��Zhaolai,�implying�my�hope�that�one�day�the�langurs�would�come�as�soon�as�I�whistle.”

For� two�months,�Xiao� camped�at�the�mouth�of�a�cave�that�was�30�meters�from�the�langurs’�dwelling.��

He�used�a�telescope�to�observe�them�every�five�minutes�and�recorded�

the�physical�characteristics�and�food�habits�of�each�one�in�the�group.

In�the�following�month,�Xiao�put�corn,�peanuts�and�sweet�potato�chips�at�the�same�time�each�day�in�a�fixed�place�within�the�langurs’�territory,�enticing�them�to�come�and�eat.�

Xiao�finally�decided�to�meet�the�langurs�on�Chinese�New�Year’s�Day�in�1998�when�they�had�been�accustomed�to�getting�food�at�the�fixed�place�and�on�time.�

“I�was�surprised�and�comforted�that�they�didn’t�run�away�when�they�saw�me,�as�if�they�knew�I�was�the�man�to�feed�them,”�Xiao�says.

He�then�spent�another�month�to�train�them�to�respond�to�whistles.�

“They� rushed�around�and� fled�when�they�first�heard�my�whistle,”�Xiao�says.�He�tried�changing�the�loca-tion�of�the�food,�then�whistling�three�times�to�signal�his�location.

The�langurs�gradually�recognized�

Xiao’s�three�whistles.�They�came�to�eat�the�food,�keeping�a�safe�distance�of�five�to�six�meters�from�him.

Over�the�past�two�decades,�Xiao�has�become�an�expert�on�langurs�thanks�to�his�daily�observations�of�the�animals.�

He�says�that�based�on�his�years-long�observations,�the�number�of�Francois�langurs�in�the�reserve�is�limited�to�within�800�because�only�the�leader�of�each�group�has�the�right�to�mate�and�breed,�and�relations�with�other�groups�with�a�leader�are�totally�forbidden�in�the�monkeys’�social�order.�

The�langurs,�whose�average�life�span�is�about�26�years,�can�give�birth�to�only�one�offspring�at�a�time,�and�the�intervals�between�births�last�two�and�a�half�to�three�years.�

“Xiao’s�observations�and�detailed�records�help�a�lot�for�my�study,”�says�Hu�Gang,�an�animal�behavior�expert�focusing�on�Francois�langurs.

Hu�classified�the�langurs�in�four�age�groups:�Infants�are�less�than�half�a�year�old,�teenagers�around�2�years�old,�young�adults�roughly�between�4�and�5,�and�grown-ups�beyond�6�years�old.���

“I�love�the�black�elfins,�but�I�won’t�spoil�the�love,”�Xiao�says.�If�the�lan-gurs�don’t�show�up�upon�hearing�his�three�whistles�within�half�an�hour,�he�will�whistle�a�fourth�time,�informing�them�that�the�food�is�gone.�

“The�Francois�langurs�attach�great�importance�to�family�values,”�says�Xiao,�who�has�tamed�three�groups�of�langurs�in�succession.�

He�says�he�was�most�impressed�by�the�second�group,�whose�leader�he�named�Mama.

Mama,�who�was�young�and�strong,�defeated�Zhaolai�and�took�over�his�group�in�2004,�enlarging�his�own�group�to�12�members.

“Mama�enjoyed�his�heyday�with�his�big�family�for�nearly�five�years,”�Xiao�says,�Mama’s�family�saw�two�inva-sions�as�he�grew�old�and�weak,�but�he�successfully�defended�against�the�first�one�with�his�sons’�help.�

“It’s�cruel�that�the�new�leader�must�kill�baby�langurs�of�the�former�leader�when�he�takes�the�throne,”�Xiao�says.�Mama�was�finally�defeated�in�2005,�and�a�newborn�of�his�was�killed�by�the�new�leader.�“That’s�why�I�didn’t�name�the�new�leader.”

Xiao�has�devoted�his�golden�years�to�the�reserve�and�has�developed�gray�hair�and�wrinkles�while�watching�the�“regime�changes”.

“Our�family�depended�on�his�wag-es,�but�we�could�just�scrape�by�for�the�past�two�decades,”�Xiao’s�wife�says,�shaking�her�head�when�Xiao�is�asked�whether�it�is�rewarding�to�be�an�ani-mal�caretaker�in�the�reserve.�

Xiao�says�it’s�rewarding�because�he�was�not�taking�care�of�the�langurs�for�himself�but�for�the�world.�

“Taming�the�black�elfins�was�my�best�decision�in�life.”

Caring for tribes of elfinsA MAN IN GUIZHOU PROVINCE HAS SPENT HALF HIS LIFE LOOKING AFTER GROUPS OF VERY RARE AND ENDANGERED MONKEYS

YANG JUN / FOR CHINA DAILY

Top: Xiao Zhijin blows a whistle to gather the Francois langurs. Above: Xiao feeding the Francois langurs.

ZHAO HUI / FOR CHINA DAILY