From 500 to 1,600: The comeback of golden snub-nosed monkeys

Deep in Shennongjia, Hubei province, the golden snub-nosed monkey is staging a quiet yet remarkable comeback. Its population has tripled to more than 1,600 individuals across 11 groups, roaming a habitat spanning 401 square kilometers — proof of what can happen when humans choose to step back.

Over four decades of conservation efforts, villagers relocated, habitats were restored and ecological corridors were built to connect fragmented habitat patches and promote genetic exchange.

It's not magic, just simple wisdom: Give a species space, and life finds a way.

Guo Yuhe contributed to this story.