Highest-living primate

Endemic to the Yun Ling Mountains of Tibet and Yunnan Province, China, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) – also known as the black snub-nosed monkey – lives in coniferous forests, typically at elevations between 3,800 and 4,300 metres (12,467–14,107 feet), though sometimes venturing beyond the treeline up to 4,700 metres (15,419 feet).

The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey's diet is predominantly based on lichen, though it also eats leaves, fruit and seeds.

These monkeys live in small troops, typically comprising 20–60 members.

The species is currently listed as Endangered by the IUCN, with a population estimated at less than 2,000 in 2006.

In this region of the Trans-Himalayas, temperatures sink below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) for several months of the year and the ground is frozen for around 280 days of the year.