Macaque, also known as rhesus monkey, is a national second-class protected animal in China, mainly distributed in tropical areas of South Asia and Southeast Asia, but mainly distributed in the south and less in the north in China. By 1960s and 1970s, Yanshan region was only distributed in Liu Liping and Xinglong counties, and Liu Liping was considered as the northernmost boundary of natural distribution of macaques. However, there has been no macaque activity in Liu Liping since 1970. 1October 22nd, 1987, 10, a dead macaque was found by the staff of Liu Liping state-owned forest farm. Since then, there has been no trace of macaques in Yanshan.
Since the summer of 2003, macaques have reappeared in Liu Liping Forest Park in Xinglong County and nearby Sanchakou Village and garden village. Most of them are in groups of three or five, and at least one or two. The macaque returned to Yanshan's "hometown" and was welcomed and protected by local villagers.
Xinglong county is located in the northeast of Hebei province and belongs to Yanshan mountain area. In order to "protect" the "Feng Shui" of the Qing Dongling, the Qing emperor banned Xinglong for more than 270 years, making Xinglong's ancient trees towering and macaques swarming. But in the last century, due to war and development, the vegetation in Xinglong County was destroyed. Xinglong county has implemented a number of ecological construction projects, such as the greening project around the capital and the small watershed management project in the upper reaches of Luanhe River. Xinglong county has also been designated as a national key county for ecological environment construction by 1999. The local wildlife protection department said that ecological construction has effectively improved the natural environment and provided good conditions for macaques to thrive.