In the Yun Ling Mountains of southwestern China, Yunnan golden monkeys roam the rugged landscape in search of lichens, their favorite meal. The endangered primates band together in groups of several hundred individuals. But the impressive size of these super troupes can be deceiving. Fewer than 3,000 golden monkeys remain, the victims of habitat loss and poaching.

Now, their fortunes may be shifting. A dozen government agencies and independent organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, recently established the Yunnan Golden Monkey Protection Network, which aims to protect the species across its entire craggy range. “Nearly 7,000 square kilometers of forest are protected under the new network, and most of them are primitive forest,” says Haohong Liao, a conservation specialist for TNC based in Yunnan province.