New Snub-Nosed Monkey discovered in northern Myanmar

Newly discovered Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) Credit Martin Aveling-FFI

October 2010. A team of Burmese and international primatologists have discovered a new species of monkey in Northern Myanmar (formerly Burma). The researchers revealed how Rhinopithecus strykeri, a previously undescribed species of snub-nosed monkey, has an upturned nose that causes it to sneeze when it rains.

Myanmar Primate Conservation Program
The team discovered the new species, also called the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey, as part of the nationwide Myanmar Primate Conservation Program in early 2010. Hunters reported the presence of a monkey species with prominent lips and wide upturned nostrils, which did not fit the description of any primate currently known from the area.

Sightings were reported from the eastern Himalayas to the north-eastern Kachin state leading the team to conduct further field surveys which resulted in the discovery of a small population of the new species that display characteristics unlike any other snub-nosed species previously described.

Very long tail

Thomas Geissmann, who is leading the taxonomic description, describes the monkey as having almost entirely blackish fur with white fur only on ear tufts and chin beard. It also has a relatively long tail, approximately 140 per cent of its body size.

Photoshop reconstruction of Rhinopithecus Strykeri Credit Dr Thomas Geissmann.

The species has been named ‘Rhinopithecus strykeri' in honour of Jon Stryker, President and Founder of the Arcus Foundation who supported the project. However, in local dialects it is called mey nwoah, ‘monkey with an upturned face.'

Sneeze makes them easy to find
While the species is new to science the local people know it well and claim that it is very easy to find when it is raining because the monkeys often get rainwater in their upturned noses causing them to sneeze. To avoid this they spend rainy days sitting with their heads tucked between their knees.

Potentially Critically Endangered
Frank Momberg, Fauna & Flora International's FFI's Regional Programme Development Coordinator, Asia Pacific, who interviewed local hunters during the field surveys, suggests that the species is limited to the Maw River area. The distribution area is believed to be 270 km² with an approximate population of 260-330 individuals. This means it would be globally classified as Critically Endangered by IUCN criteria for the level of threat of extinction.

Isolated population
As this new species of snub-nosed monkey inhabits the Kachin State in north-eastern Myanmar it is geographically isolated from other species by two major barriers, the Mekong and the Salween rivers, which may explain why the species has not been discovered earlier.

Dr Tony Htin Hla, Chairman of BANCA, indicated the importance of the discovery for the country. "Myanmar is rich in biodiversity but there has been insufficient research to identify all the national priorities, and there are probably still many unknown species to find. BANCA greatly appreciates the support of international organizations to meet this gap in our understanding."

According to local hunters the monkeys spend the summer months, between May and October, at higher altitudes in mixed temperate forests. In winter they descend closer to villages when snow makes food scarce.

This latest addition to the snub-nosed family is already threatened due to increasing hunting pressure resulting from the building of logging roads by Chinese companies beginning to invade the previously isolated distribution area of this newly discovered monkey.

First snub-nosed monkeys in Myanmar
Species of snub-nosed monkeys are found in parts of China and Vietnam. Presently all species are considered endangered. Until now no species have been reported in Myanmar.

Fernando Potess, President Director and Chief Executive Officer of PRFC, stated "The project partners have collaborated now for nearly three years on primate research throughout Myanmar, and it is gratifying to see the BANCA team making important new discoveries that can lead to better conservation in the country."

However, this latest addition to the snub-nosed family is already threatened due to increasing hunting pressure resulting from the building of logging roads by Chinese companies beginning to invade the previously isolated distribution area of this newly discovered monkey.

Mark Rose, Chief Executive of FFI said, "We are committed to taking immediate conservation action to safeguard the survival of this important new species together with our partners and local communities in Myanmar."

Field research was led by Ngwe Lwin from the Myanmar Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) and supported by an international team of primatologists from Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRFC).

The discovery was published in the American Journal of Primatology