The responses of nonhuman primates towards conspecific deaths in the wild, and the activities of carnivores scavenging the corpses, are different but interconnected thanatological and ecological aspects of wildlife mortality. We report the first thanatological events observed in a wild, multilevel group of Myanmar or black snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus strykeri [R. strykeri]) and mesocarnivores scavenging on a monkey carcass in the Pianma region, near the China-Myanmar border. We detected two freshly deceased carcasses during field surveys. The group members visited the location of their recently deceased conspecific twice and variously looked down at the carcass, emitted alarm calls and unusual contact calls, hugged social partners and prevented approaches by individuals from other social units. These behaviors suggest strong bonds and emotional reactions to the death of a companion in R. strykeri. Infrared camera trapping revealed the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) as the principal scavenger on the carcass, followed by the yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula). Siberian weasels showed greater activity levels and time spent feeding on the R. strykeri carcass when it was fresh, while remaining vigilant for potential competitors and predators. After the carcass was largely consumed and decayed, both frequency and duration of feeding and vigilance behaviors decreased.

We examined the distribution, population, and conservation status of the critically endangered Myanmar or black snub-nosed monkey ( Rhinopithecus strykeri ) via field surveys over 26 months (2019–2021) in the Pianma region of the China-Myanmar border. Contrary to previous reports, we only identified one group in the region, which was a cross-border group occupying a multi-year home range of 51.50–57.02 km². The current group size was much larger (155–160 individuals) than that in 2012–2014 ( ca 100 individuals), and the group appeared to be growing. However, confirmed poaching, mining, and transboundary forest fires on the Myanmar side of the border threaten their survival. Our findings provide the latest information on the distribution and population demography of the imperiled R. strykeri , signifying new hope for population recovery of this rare primate species. We highlight cross-border challenges to their conservation and call for transboundary actions between China and Myanmar to protect R. strykeri . individuals

Anthropogenic changes and fragmentation of natural habitats often exert a negative effect on resource availability and distribution, and the nutritional ecology and feeding behavior of nonhuman primates. The goals of this study are to examine food choice and to identify the nutritional profile of foods consumed by the Critically Endangered black snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri). To accomplish our study goals, we presented cafeteria-style feeding trials of fresh food items collected in the home range of wild black snub-nosed monkeys to the only two captive R. strykeri, and compared the nutritional profiles of the leafy foods (buds, young, and mature leaves, 100 i23tems from 70 plant species) selected with those avoided (54 items from 48 plant species). Overall, the results indicate that captive R. strykeri selected foods that were higher in moisture (Mo; 77.7%), crude protein (CP; 21.2%), total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC; 34.9%), and phosphorus (P; 0.37%) while tending to avoid foods with a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of greater than 46.8%. Leaves collected in autumn and selected by the monkeys were characterized by a slightly higher amount of metabolizable energy (ME) than those rejected (1,350 kJ/100 g vs. 1,268 kJ/100 g). In contrast, the protein content of foods collected and consumed during the spring was greater (22.9%) than in autumn (16.4%). Random Forests modeling, an ensemble learning method, indicated that the proportion of Mo, NDF, ME, CP, P, and TNC were among the most important factors in predicting which items were consumed by the captive R. strykeri during spring and autumn. On the basis of the nutritional profile of foods consumed across the two seasons, we identified 18 nutrient-rich native plant species that we recommend for use in ex- and in-situ conservation management and reforestation programs to provide long-term access to a nutritionally adequate diet.

Difficult to study species that inhabit inaccessible terrain, present significant challenges in obtaining accurate ecological, distributional, and conservation information. To address these challenges, we used an effective set of time- and cost-efficient methods including interview-based surveys assisted by Google earth 3D maps to document the distributional range of 32 native animal taxa in the biodiverse but difficult to access Gaoligong Mountains (GLGMS), located on the northern Sino-Myanmar Border. Five threatened flagship species, including the black snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri), the Skywalker hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing), Shortridge's langur (Trachypithecus shortridgei), Sclater's monal (Lophophorus sclateri) and the Mishmi takin (Budorcas taxicolor) were selected for intensive surveys and used as surrogate taxa to study community biodiversity. Field surveys of each species were conducted to determine their presence/absence and to confirm the reliability of species distribution data obtained from interview-based surveys. Multicriteria Decision Analyses were used along with data on habitat suitability (MAXENT) to prioritize transboundary conservation areas. Our results indicate that approximately 83.4% (10,398.7 km(2)) of the remaining habitat with high biodiversity conservation value in the GLGMs is unprotected. This includes six large zones located along the northern Sino-Myanmar border, separated by rivers and human settlements. These areas should be designated as a transboundary World Nature Heritage Site, national parks, or wildlife sanctuaries. This study presents a reliable, rapid and integrative method for developing informed policies for conservation prioritization in data poor areas, which can be applied successfully to assess conservation priorities in other mountainous regions where obtaining data on biodiversity is difficult. (c) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Since its initial discovery in 2010 in the Gaoligong Mountains on the Sino–Myanmar border, there remains no direct information on the feeding habits of the black snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri). This species is on the verge of extinction, with an estimated remaining population of < 400 individuals. Due to difficulties in following these monkeys across steep mountainous terrain, during 203 observation days (September 2015–January 2017) we recorded 80 h of behavioral records of a wild population (Luoma group). Our preliminary results identified 14 plant species and four lichen species consumed by the monkeys. In addition, we provided the only two captive individuals of this species with a cafeteria diet composed of > 600 wild-collected plant species that were gathered from known R. strykeri habitats to determine which plant species and food items were considered palatable. Our results indicate that the captive monkeys freely consumed young and mature leaves, fruits/seeds, buds, flowers, twigs, and bark from 170 different species of trees, bushes, and herbs representing 76 genera and 41 plant families, as well as 15 species of lichen. All foods consumed by the wild monkeys were also consumed by the captive individuals. Food plants consumed by R. strykeri were found principally in intact subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests and hemlock-broadleaf mixed forests at an altitude of 2200–3000 m. Strict enforcement of habitat protection and access to resources across this elevation zone appear to be essential for the conservation and survivorship of this critically endangered primate.

The Brown Parrotbill (Cholornis unicolor) is endemic to the central and eastern Himalayas and occurs in alpine bamboo thickets at an altitude of 1,980–3,600 m. Fieldwork was conducted in the Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve and cameras were used to record reproductive behaviors. Duration of incubation, nestling provisioning, and other parental care behaviors were extracted from the videos, and measurements of the nest, eggs, and nestlings were taken in the field. One nest with a clutch of 3 eggs was found 2.1 m above the ground in a bamboo thicket in May, thus extending the documented breeding season. Two of the three eggs hatched and both nestlings fledged. Both the male and the female incubated the eggs and brooded and provisioned the nestlings. The incubation period lasted for at least 13 d and the nestling period was 15 d. As incubation progressed, incubation-bout duration decreased and recess frequency increased. During the nestling period, the frequency of parental provisioning increased as the nestlings matured. Our observations provide the first description of the nest, nestlings, and incubation behavior of Brown Parrotbill. Alpine bamboo thickets are assumed to be an important breeding habitat for Brown Parrotbills, as this is typical for at least 6 parrotbill species.

Surveying the activity rhythms of sympatric herbivorous mammals is essential for understanding their niche ecology, especially for how they partition resources and their mechanisms of coexistence. Over a five-year period, we conducted infrared camera-trapping to monitor the activity rhythms of coexisting red serow (Capricornis rubidus) and Chinese serow (C. milneedwardsii milneedwardsii) in the remote mountainous region of Pianma, Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan, China. Cameras captured images of red serow and Chinese serow on 157 and 179 occasions, respectively. We used circular kernel density models to analyze daily activity rhythms and how temporal variations in activity ensure their co-existence. Although their overall activity levels and patterns were similar, temporal activity and behavior partitioning among the two species occurred during the wet season. Compared with Chinese serows, red serows exhibited less variable daily activity levels, patterns, as well as feeding and vigilance behaviors between seasons. When the two species occasionally ranged together, red serows tended to alter their activity pattern while Chinese serows significantly increased their activity level. Red serow and Chinese serow are exploitative competitors but coexist by altering their daily activity rhythms when in contact and changing activity patterns during the wet season, enabling their coexistence.

物种分布信息对野生动物的保护和管理至关重要.基于物种访查数据和气候数据,采用基于物种生境偏好、利比希最小因子定律和谢尔福德耐受性定律构建的生态位模型,综合考虑物种出现点和环境变量,预测了高黎贡山白尾梢虹雉Lophophorus sclateri、血雉Ithaginis cruentus、白鹇Lophura nycthemera、白腹锦鸡Chrysolophus amherstiae的潜在分布区域.结果 表明,模型对4种雉类的预测均达到较好效果;白尾梢虹雉、血雉、白鹇和白腹锦鸡的潜在生境总面积分别为6 432 km2、8 464 km2、9 573 km2和13 691 km2,白鹇和白腹锦鸡的潜在生境面积大于白尾梢虹雉和血雉,但后两者具有更多的高质量生境.高黎贡山北段是4种雉类潜在生境的重叠区,为高黎贡山雉类保护的优先区域,尤其是白尾梢虹雉,建议加大该区域的雉类调查和保护力度.

We explored the elevational richness patterns of birds in a biodiversity hotspot in south-western China, the Gaoligong Mountains and assessed the role of different spatial factors, climatic factors and landscape composition in shaping the richness patterns. The east slope of the southern part of Gaoligong Mountains (24.79°N-26.49°N, 98.65°E-98.93°E) is the western-most part of the Hengduan Mountains, China. We conducted field surveys of birds at each 300-m band from 700 to 3400 m a.s.l., and for the two bands from 3400 to 4000 m a.s.l., we obtained data from historical records. We obtained climatic recording data from local meteorological stations that were located in our study area and calculated the mean annual temperature and precipitation. We also calculated the area, MDE (the mid-domain effect), NDVI (the normalized difference vegetation index), habitat heterogeneity and human disturbance for each 300-m band. We then used multiple regression analysis to test the explanatory power of different factors for the elevational richness patterns of overall, endemic, non-endemic, large-ranged, and small-ranged birds. A total of 277 breeding bird species were recorded. We found consistent hump-shaped patterns of species richness with elevation with varied peaks for different groups. The richness of endemic birds peaked at higher elevation than non-endemic birds. Temperature and human disturbance played important roles in shaping the richness patterns of most bird groups whereas MDE contributed to the richness pattern of large-ranged species. Although none of the seven factors (area, MDE, mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, NDVI, habitat heterogeneity and human disturbance) showed consistent explanatory power among different species groups, temperature and human disturbance correlated well with most bird groups, indicating that more studies are needed in this biodiversity hotspot to clarify the detailed influence of anthropogenic activities and climate change on elevational distributions of birds.

高黎贡山地区属于全球生物多样性热点地区之一。长期以来,受地形复杂且植被浓密等限制,对该地区生物多样性现状缺乏全面深入的调查。2013年11月至2015年9月期间,通过布设红外相机,我们对云南高黎贡山国家级自然保护区西坡怒江州泸水县片马区域的兽类和鸟类多样性进行了初步调查,试图进一步补充该区域兽类和鸟类多样性本底资料。调查期内共监测41个不同相机位点,累计9 503个相机日,拍摄到808组独立有效照片。经鉴定包括兽类21种和鸟类24种,分属于10目21科38属,其中怒江金丝猴（Rhinopithecus strykeri）是近年来在高黎贡山地区新发现的灵长类动物。灵长目、肉食目、偶蹄目、雀形目、鸡形目和啮齿目等类群的相对多样性指数较高,且分布广泛。进一步对7种丰富度较高物种的出现时间段分析发现:（1）熊猴（Macaca assamensis）、怒江金丝猴和血雉（Ithaginis cruentus）的日活动规律峰值出现在上午和下午;（2）橙腹长吻松鼠（Dremomys lokriah）和紫啸鸫（Myophonus caeruleus）的日活动高峰出现在中午,但前者在黄昏活动相对较多;（3）黄喉貂（Martes flavigula）和野猪（Sus scrofa）具有一定的夜行性,但野猪的夜行性更强。本研究提供了高黎贡山中段西坡兽类和鸟类多样性现状的基础数据,有助于今后深入研究和推进本地区生物多样性保护。

There is little research of the Nujiang golden monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri). In September 2013, Yaojiaping Management Station of Gaoligong Mountains Nature Reserve took in a 2-year-old female Nujiang golden monkey. This study analyzes the Nuijiang golden monkey's time budget, diet and the effect of captivity form September 2013 to September 2014. Based on the observation and recordings, the diet for the monkey mainly are the wild plants in reserve areas, and 23 plants and the parts have been identified. The daily time budget are:61%of time is for resting, 15%for eating, 15%for feeding, 7%for combing and 2%for playing. The analysis of action types in different periods shows that this golden monkey has a feeding peak and a moving peak in the morning and a resting peak in the afternoon. It is also found that the time of ground activities exits and is about 5.8%of the daily activity time budget and the main thing the monkey does on the ground is feeding.

The Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) is one of the most recently discovered primate species, and occurs only along the border of Myanmar and China. Its ecology is largely unknown owing to its harsh and remote habitat. However, study of this new species can contribute to our understanding of how primates adapt to a high-altitude lifestyle. We here describe our preliminary study of a group of R. strykeri, using a mix of direct observation and camera traps, at Pianma, Yunnan, China. From May 2013 to May 2014, we conducted direct observation and deployed 30 camera traps to examine the social characteristics of R. strykeri, estimate group home range via the modified minimum convex polygon method, and estimate the vertical range used. We achieved direct observation on 8 days and obtained 222 camera trap images triggered by the passing of R. strykeri. The cameras captured five one-male, multifemale units and one all-male unit. We observed fusion of units without aggression during both direct observation and camera trapping, suggesting that R. strykeri lives in a multilevel society, similarly to the other members of the genus. The ratio of adults to immatures was high relative to stable populations of Rhinopithecus, suggesting the population is in decline. We estimated the group’s home range to be 22.9 km2 and found that R. strykeri occurred at 2400–3300 m. Our work shows that camera traps can be used effectively to survey rare primates.

由于较难到达等客观原因,以往对高黎贡山中段的鸟类调查比较缺乏.2011年8月至2014年7月,采用样线法对高黎贡山中段六库-姚家坪-风雪垭口-片马一线鸟类多样性进行了调查,旨在完善该区域不同海拔和生境的鸟类信息.野外共观察到225种鸟类,其中有3个高黎贡山新纪录鸟种.结合以往资料,高黎贡山中段共记录鸟类357种,隶属于18目60科,占云南省鸟类903种的39.53％.其中,留鸟282种,占78.99％.该区鸟类垂直分布呈单峰型,以2300～2800 m的中山湿性常绿阔叶林中分布的种类最多.该区域鸟类G-F指数高,多样性十分丰富,而且受危和特有现象明显,保护鸟类42种,横断山区特有鸟类57种,分别占所记录鸟类的1 1.76％和15.97％.结合该区域鸟类的垂直分布特征,提出保护中山湿性常绿阔叶林对该区域鸟类多样性的保护至关重要.此外,我们建议以后也应对该区域低海拔生境的鸟类进行调查.

2011年10月至2013年10月在云南高黎贡山自然保护区泸水县片马镇地区对一群怒江金丝猴的社会组织进行研究,基于野外实地记录与获得的视频资料统计猴群的个体数量,研究群数量初步估计为100只。根据体型、毛色及是否携带婴猴等特征来划分所有个体的性别年龄组,依据单元内个体通过林窗时移动的时间间隔比单元间短的原则来划分不同繁殖单元及全雄群。所有视频中共发现22个一雄多雌单元（OMU）和1个全雄群（AMU）,因此怒江金丝猴的社会组织与其他金丝猴物种相似,由多个一雄多雌及其后代组成繁殖单元（OMUs）与雄性个体组成全雄群（AMU）组成重层社会（Modular society）;另外基于GPS位点初步确定猴群活动的海拔范围为1 900-3 700 m,猴群生境面积约为12 km2,初步获得猴群的密度为8只/km2,比缅甸的种群密度（1只/km2）大得多。基于种群性别年龄计算种群动态参数,雄雌比为1∶2.1,婴雌比为1∶4.7,成幼比为2.5∶1。与滇金丝猴种群相比,该种群有很低的婴雌比和很高的成幼比。