Indochinese Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)

Baoxiang Temple clings to the cliffs of Shibaoshan in Yunnan, a site with roots stretching back to the Tang Dynasty. Built into the rock face, the temple is surrounded by forest and waterfalls, and for the past two decades, it’s also been home to a population of Indochinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). These monkeys aren’t part of any breeding program—they simply settled here and stayed, making the temple grounds and nearby paths their own.

The macaque in this photo is one of them. Hardy and adaptable, this species ranges from the cold of the Himalayas to the heat of Southeast Asia. Their resilience is part of what made them valuable to research, but this individual lives freely, tucked into the quiet of Baoxiang’s forested sanctuary.