Posted by: Loren Coleman on July 3rd, 2012 Researchers will
start exploring large areas of primitive forest this month in
the Shennongjia region of central China’s Hubei province. A
group of 38 experts from several universities and research
institutions will begin the expedition on July 8, 2012,
according to a statement from the Shennongjia Nature Reserve’s
management bureau. The trip is scheduled to last through August,
according to the Chinese news service, Xinhua. The group will
focus on studying the region’s animals, plants and land features
and will publish its research results later. Animals in the area
include leopards (Panthera paradus), the Asian golden cat
(Pardofelis temminckii), the golden pheasant (Chrysolophus
pictus), South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis), and the
Chinese giant salamander (Megalobatrachus davidianus). The
region is also home to the rare golden snub-nosed monkey
(Rhinopithecus roxellana), which is on the verge of extinction
and was first spotted in Shennongjia in the 196