An endangered baby golden monkey, which was found malnourished and abandoned in the wild, is recovering after suckling on human breast milk.

Over 30 young mothers volunteered to donate their breast milk to save the monkey which was found in Badong County in central China's Hubei Province.

The animal was brought to the Hubei Wildlife Rescue Center 10 days ago. The center formed an emergency rescue plan to save the animal by feeding it human milk. Prior to this case, no other baby golden monkey to had survived artificial rearing.

When scientific field researchers from the State Forestry Administration found the baby monkey during an expedition in Badong, it was weak and weighed only 500 grams with a 30 cm (o.32 yards) umbilical cord still trailing from its stomach.

The researchers waited but failed to see the mother monkey come to feed the baby.

The human milk donors had to pass a health examination to contribute their milk to the hungry monkey.

Li Li, one of the five mothers, joked with her husband that they have adopted a "monkey son." She had just given birth to a baby girl.

Reporter saw the little gold monkey in the nursing room looking active and healthy. Professor Jiang Peiqi, who was in charge of the rescue effort, said the monkey was out of danger and its body weight had increased to 620 grams over the past few days.

The rescuers hope the experience will help golden monkey breeding. The rare species heads China's most endangered animal list with the giant panda. It is estimated that there are only 10,000 golden monkeys alive in the wild around the world.

(People's Daily March 22, 2002)