A group of macaques attacked taxis in front of a hotel in Sanya, Hainan province, after a young macaque was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

The macaque, also known as a rhesus monkey, is a short-tailed monkey common throughout Asia.

According to the Nandao Evening News, a taxi hit a young macaque at about 11 am on March 23 and then drove away. A group of macaques came down from a nearby mountain and stood guard over the dead macaque until police came and removed it.

"The macaques also attacked taxis of the same style as the one that killed the little animal. Guards from the hotel could not drive the macaques away," said a tourist named Zhang, who called the paper's hotline.

Police searched video monitors in an effort to find the taxi that hit the monkey, without success, but said they would continue to investigate.

Macaques are a social animal and exhibit feelings much like humans when a member of their group is killed, according to Lin Guisheng, director of Wildlife Protection Station under the Sanya City Bureau of Forestry.

"The macaque is listed as a second-class animal with State protection. Those who deliberately do harm to them will be punished in accordance with law," Lin said.