Netizens rally round injured monkey king ahead of Year of the Monkey

The monkey appears to be showing its wound to He's young son. [Photo/Weibo.com]

The image of an injured wild monkey in Southwest China went viral online, attracting the attention of a local wildlife organization which has come up with three plans to help it.

Monkeys on Mount Emei, the country's biggest natural monkey reserve in Sichuan province, are a must-see attraction for tourists.

The injured 12-year-old, photographed by a tourist surnamed He, suffered a hurt leg and is reportedly the king of a 40-plus member community. On its right leg can be seen a nylon cord in a wound with blood seeping, while the skin and flesh around the cord is swollen.

The photo appears to depict the monkey showing its wound to He's son while looking at the boy. "I think the monkey is asking us for help", said He, who asked authorities at the scenic spot to help it as he wasn't able to untie the nylon cord.

The photo became an instant online hit after He posted it on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo on Saturday afternoon.

The hot topic with the hashtag #Monkey in Mount Emei asks a passerby for help# has attracted around 3.75 million Internet users' attention, while more than 2,000 commented.