The central city of Da Nang has chosen the red-shanked douc langur as its mascot for the APEC Year to be hosted in the city in 2017.



Red-shanked douc langur in Son Tra peninsula in central Da Nang


The municipal Party’s Committee tasked the Department of Culture and Sports with popularising the mascot.

The red-shanked douc langur is listed in the Vietnam Red Book, and as a critically endangered species with unlimited protection by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

About 530 red-shanked douc langurs inhabit the Son Tra Nature Reserve – which is known for its rich biodiversity with 287 species of animals, 106 species of birds, and 15 rare wild animals under protection.

Featuring five colours, the red-shanked douc langur is nicknamed the "Queen of the primates" by the International Wildlife Protection Organization because of its beauty.

It lives in groups or in a family. They eat and sleep in trees and eat a diverse range of fruits and plants including the figs and the banyan leaves.

VNA