Four entertainers who use performing monkeys in their act are appealing after being convicted of illegally transporting rare animals.

The Monkey Art Association in Xinye county, Henan province, is supporting the four by finding lawyers to represent them.

Bao Fengshan, Bao Qingshan, Su Guoyin and Tian Junan are from Xinye, which is well-known for its monkey displays. They were arrested while staging a show with six macaque monkeys on a street in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province, in July.