Land‐use changes conservation network of an endangered primate (Rhinopithecus bieti) in the past 30 years in China

Over the past three decades, land-use changes have significantly fragmented and reduced the habitat of the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) in China's Three Parallel Rivers Region. The study found that unsuitable habitats increased by 69.3 km², while highly suitable habitats shrank dramatically from 212.1 km² to 101.6 km² between 1990 and 2020. Connectivity corridors essential for the species' survival also decreased in length by nearly 24%. Researchers used GIS-based niche modeling and a normalized importance value index (NIVI) to identify priority protection habitats (PPHs) and designed circuit models to assess connectivity among protected areas (PAs). The findings underscore the urgent need to re-adjust PA boundaries to incorporate the entire conservation network of R. bieti, ensuring its long-term survival.

Su, X., Shen, Y., Zhou, W., Liu, Y., Cheng, H., Yang, M., Zhou, S., Zhao, J., Wan, L., & Liu, G. (2021). Land‐use changes conservation network of an endangered primate (Rhinopithecus bieti) in the past 30 years in China. Diversity and Distributions, 28(12), 2898–2911. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13446