VietNamNet Bridge - A group of Indochina langurs (Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus), the largest ever, has been discovered in Thanh Hoa province. 

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A group of Indochina langurs (Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus), the largest ever, has been discovered in Thanh Hoa province. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of red-shanked doucs (Pygathrix cinerea) have been found in Gia Lai and Kon Tum.

According to Nguyen Dinh Hai, director of the Xuan Lien Natural Reserve, during the survey of fauna and flora for a catalogue of the reserve, scientists discovered hundreds of rare and endangered animal species which need protection, including Indochina langurs.

The presence of the langurs in Xuan Lien has been recognized since 1998. However, there was no detailed research about their habitat and population. 

Therefore, scientists this time decided to visit every place they believed the langurs once lived and learn more information from local forest rangers and people. This allowed them to imagine the habitat and the living conditions of the animals.

Scientists this time decided to visit every place they believed the langurs once lived and learn more information from local forest rangers and people. This allowed them to imagine the habitat and the living conditions of the animals.
“In 2013-2015, we set up 20 investigation routes with the total length of 200 kilometers. We carried out survey 3 or 4 times on the routes we thought we may meet langurs,” he explained.

When the scientists met the langurs, they had to count the number they saw, estimate the number of group members, define the co-ordinate, take pictures and film.

After two years of investigation, the scientists found seven herds with 200 langurs living in eight wards far from residential quarters in the two communes of Bat Mot and Yen Nhan of Thuong Xuan district.

“Rare and precious langurs are mostly found in high and craggy mountains,” he said.

These areas, adjacent to the Pu Hoat Natural Reserve in Nghe An province and Nam Xam in Laos, create a large fauna and flora zone, over 160,000 hectares, serving as the living environment for many rare and precious animal species.

Scientists have also discovered some red-shanked douce in Kon Ka Kinh National Park in Gia Lai and Chu Mom Ray Park in Kon Tum province.

Nguyen Ai Tam, a member of the Frankfurt Zoological Society, went with  Kon Ka Kinh National Park’s officials on a trip to the core area of the park to trace the doucs. 

Tam said the scientists arrived in Da Trang Mount, where doucs often came to look for food. They have also appeared at Ha Ngoi and Ba Tang Falls.

“There are about 100 doucs in the area. Just picking up the young leaves and smelling the urine left on the leaves, we could guess when the doucs appeared and where they moved to,” he said.

Ngo Duc Hien, an expert on doucs, said red-shanked doucs could be seen often in the past. However, they are now rarely spotted in the forests because they are afraid of people.


NLD