In Gyakar Dongtsan scenic spot, Gongbo gyamda of Nyingchi, southwest China’ s Tibet Autonomous Region, there are more than 2,000 Tibetan macaques, among which a monkey with red face is named “ Marra ” by Tobgye, a 67-year-old breeder. “Marra” means red in Chinese.

When first met “ Marra ” that was just a newborn monkey, Tobgye brought it back and fed milk and boiled pea. Tobgye’s 9-year-old granddaughter also liked “ Marra ”. After school, she always fed it and played with it.

Three days later, Tobgyes’s granddaughter did not see “ Marra ” when she come back after school. She was very sad. Tobgye told her that he had already brought it back to the monkeys.

Why Tobgyes brought baby“ Marra ” back? Many years before, he rescued a wounded monkey and raised it more than a year until it get well. When he brought it back to the monkeys, the monkeys did not accept it and even bit it. At last, that monkey run into the forest alone and helplessly, which hurt Tobgyse deeply.

After many years, an adult monkey always runs to Tobgyes for food. It is “ Marra ” that Tobgyes rescued.

Tibetan macaque (Macaca speciosa thibetanas) is widely distributed in eastern Tibet and western Sichuan province, 1,500 ~ 2,500 meters altitude mountain broad-leaved forest region. With the short dense brown fur, the Tibetan macaque, a gregarious animal, has a chin whisker and a hairless face. Its diet consists mostly of fruit, but it will also consume seeds, leaves, peanuts and flowers as well as invertebrates.

Many years ago, lacking of food, the Tibetan macaque went to Lin Tse village so as to find something to eat. In order to protect them, villagers decided to move for making more habitats to Tibetan macaque. Moreover, everyday, people form Lin Tse village feed those Tibetan macaque. Thanks to the careful protection, the Tibetan macaque live a happy life. Besides, the number of them is increasing quickly, which is already over 2,000.

As the forest ranger, Tobgyes always tours through forests. He has more time contacting with Tibetan macaques. 

With the development of tourism, Gyakar Dongtsan scenic spot was built. When Tobgyes retired, he is the best person to be the breeder of Tibetan macaque.