The number of black leaf monkeys, one of rare wildlife species under state protection in China, has risen to more than 800 in southwestern Guizhou Province, the latest statistics have shown.

According to the provincial forestry bureau, 736 of the 800-strong black leaf monkeys were spotted in the state-level Mayang River Nature Reserve in the Tujia Autonomous county of Yanhe, which is located in northeastern Guizhou.

An official with the bureau said the provincial government and forestry departments at various levels in Guizhou have taken rigid measures to cope with the poaching of wildlife and launched massive afforestation projects to improve the living environment for the animals in recent years. Guizhou has so far set up eight nature reserves for black leaf monkeys.

The Mayang River nature reserve has become the largest home to black leaf monkeys in China. Covering an area of more than 31,100 hectares, the nature reserve is a true "paradise" for 266 species of wildlife such as black bears, zibets and condors, and home to 478 varieties of vascular bundle plants.

Black leaf monkeys, first discovered in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 1889, are mainly distributed in Guizhou and Guangxi areas and the northern part of Vietnam.

Latest survey has indicated that there are approximately 200 black leaf monkeys in Vietnam and anywhere from 300 to 400 in Guangxi autonomous region.