The number of Francois' leaf monkeys at the Jinfo Mountain Nature Reserve in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has increased to more than 150 thanks to continuous ecological restoration in recent years, the administration of the nature reserve said Tuesday.

Since 2014, the reserve has set up 180 infrared sensor cameras in six key areas to more accurately monitor the rare wild animal and plant populations, said Zhong Wei, director with the research monitoring center of the administration.

The reserve also collaborated with Yangtze Normal University and Southwest University to investigate the population, distribution and living environment of the Francois' leaf monkeys.

The latest data shows that a total of 151 Francois' leaf monkeys are recorded in the reserve. The number of the species increased significantly compared with more than 70 in 1990s and more than 110 in 2004.

In recent years, the reserve has strictly controlled human activities in the habitat of the monkeys, and planted more than 30,000 trees on more than 46.7 hectares of wasteland to expand the area of suitable living environment for them. In winter and spring when there is a shortage of food for the species, apples, corns, peanuts and other food are put in the reserve.

To raise public awareness on the protection, publicity posters were set up and publicity activities were held in the reserve, Zhong said.

Also known as Francois' langurs, the species is one of China's most endangered wild animals, and one of the endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list. They are found in China's Guangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing and the northern mountain areas of Vietnam.

There are about 2,000 Francois' leaf monkeys worldwide, of which 1,500 live in China. 

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