The golden, or Sichuan, snub-nosed monkey is indigenous to Tibet. Like the giant panda, very few of these animals exist in the wild. The golden snub-nosed monkey has a small upturned snub nose with exposed nostrils, and lappets at the sides of its mouth. The monkey’s name derives from its nose and its beautiful reddish-golden hair. The golden snub-nosed monkey’s face, throat, legs and underparts are reddish gold.

A portion of the monkey’s tail and neck are light grey. The remainder of the golden snub-nosed monkey’s neck and tail are golden brown. The monkey’s muzzle is white, and the skin around its eyes is blue.

The body length of a male golden snub-nosed monkey ranges from 57 to 76 centimetres (19 to 25 inches). The monkey’s tail length ranges from 51 to 72 centimetres (17 to 24 inches). Males generally weigh between 15 to 39 kilograms (33 to 86 pounds), while females weigh between 6.5 and 10 kilograms (14 to 22 pounds).