Chimpanzee bust, Southern Ice, by Lisa Roet. [Photo provided to China Daily]

But they have moved away from their original habitat thanks to climate change, which is causing the snow to melt in the mountains, and also due to growing human settlements.

Roet got the idea of a public sculpture of a monkey in Beijing three years ago when she did her artistic residency program in the city.

She then spent some time at the Beijing Zoo observing the golden monkey.

But observing apes is not new to her.

For the past 30 years, Roet has been studying the primates at zoos and research centers across the world.

All her art works－sculptures, photos, videos and jewelry designs－are based on apes.

"Humans can receive blood from chimpanzees since we share nearly 99 percent of DNA. But I am interested in the 1 percent difference," says Roet.

Roet once played with a baby gorilla during her time in Berlin in 1998.