One of the rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is released into Pù Huống Nature Reserve on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photos Xuân Tiến

NGHỆ AN — Eleven rare monkeys were released into the Pù Huống Nature Reserve in the central province of Nghệ An on Tuesday.

The undertaking was carried out by the reserve’s management board, in coordination with the Centre for Rescue, Conservation and Development of Creatures at the Cúc Phương National Park encompassing the three provinces of Ninh Bình, Hòa Bình, and Thanh Hóa that borders Nghệ An.

Eight rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and three stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) were transferred from Cúc Phương National Park.

Both species are classified as rare and endangered under a Vietnamese Government decree. They are also listed in Việt Nam's Red Data Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

A rhesus macaque and a stump-tailed macaque forage for food through the nature reserve after their release

According to the board, all the released monkeys were fully grown, healthy, free of infectious diseases, and uninjured.

The reserve, home to a variety of wildlife species, including the two macaque species, provides a suitable habitat for the monkeys to adapt, reproduce, and integrate into the existing groups without disrupting the ecological balance.

Võ Minh Sơn, director of the reserve, said the release is a great opportunity to raise public awareness of forest and biodiversity preservation. — VNA/VNS