China's rare golden monkeys debut at European zoos, a possible successor to 'panda diplomacy'

With their distinctive shaggy orange manes, pale blue faces and dense fur covering their hands and feet, it’s hard to mistake China’s endangered golden snub-nosed monkeys for any other animal

With their distinctive shaggy orange manes, pale blue faces and dense fur covering their hands and feet, it’s hard to mistake China’s endangered golden snub-nosed monkeys for any other animal.

These rare and charismatic monkeys, unique to the frigid mountains of central China, have recently joined the country’s famous pandas as furry envoys to zoos in Europe for the first time — on loan for 10 years from the same government-overseen group that coordinates official panda exchanges.

As with “panda diplomacy,” some observers cheer new opportunities for scientific and conservation collaboration, while others raise concerns about the welfare of individual animal ambassadors transported around the world.

Three golden monkeys arrived at France’s Beauval Zoo in the city of Saint-Aignan this April, following an agreement to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and France.

Another trio of golden monkeys arrived at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Hainaut, Belgium, in May. The zoo distributed Belgian and Chinese hand flags to visitors on the day the monkeys arrived.