All species of primates in China are protected by the Wildlife Protection Law of China and are listed in the China Red Data Book. Only three species of macaques (M. arctoides, M. thibetana, and M. mulatta) are the second class protected wildlife of national importance, and the rest are all first class, which are strictly forbidden for hunting and killing. Four species of macaques are vulnerable, and the rest are endangered according to the China Red Data Book. These species are also in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Table 1). Clearly, it is difficult to be optimistic about the status of Chinese primates. There are more than 10,000 individuals in these five species, and only limited numbers of stumptail macaque and rhesus macaque are allowed to be caught for commercial purposes in China. The main threats to primates are loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation, human-caused mortality, lack of knowledge about population numbers and status on which to base sound management decisions, and lack of management to limit mortality to sustainable levels and to conserve necessary habitat.

Almost all primate species in China inhabit forests or areas with forests (especially natural forests). China’s long exploitation history is mostly in forest areas, which were once suitable for agriculture but are now gone forever. The forests have decreased to 14%, with much damaged or young secondary growth. At least 70% of the primate habitats have been lost in the last 50 years with population growth, logging, reclamation, settlements, and so forth. Habitats have become fragmented and smaller, and some geographical populations have disappeared. Some primate species were once used for local traditional medicines (e.g., Presbytis francoisi), pelt animals (e.g., Pygathrix bieti), pests (e.g., M. thibetana), or as pets (M. mulatta). Such human-caused mortality has resulted in their endangered status in China.

China has paid great attention to wildlife protection in past 20 years, with the development of international biodiversity conservation. The key to wildlife conservation is to protect its habitat. To complement the Wildlife Protection Law, there are 1276 nature reserves covering a of total 123 million ha and occupying 12.44% of the total territory of China. One fourth of these reserves are related to primate conservation. Some of the 1050 forest parks occupy 9.8 million ha, and the primates’ habitats, which also play an important role in their protection. All of these natural areas protect a majority of endangered and rare wild fauna and flora species and their habitats, protecting 20 million ha natural forests, which occupy 14.6% of the total areas of forest. Since 2000, the Chinese government has banned any logging on natural forests in the National 10th Five-year Social and Economic Development Plant. The State Forestry Administration has implemented the National Natural Forest Protection Project and has begun the National Wildlife Conservation and Natural Reserves Construc