An individual grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea), one of the world’s 25 Critically Endangered primates, is found living in a forest of Quang Nam Province. (Photo courtesy of Ai Tam) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Since the Government’s decision on action plan for theprotection of the primate species in Vietnam was issued in 2017, a total of 684 endangered douc langurs,including 86 grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrixcinerea), one of the world’s 25 Critically Endangered primates, havebeen captured by rangers and authorities in 80 illegal hunting andwildlife trafficking cases.
However, a report by theENV, an NGO focused on wildlife protection, showed that only 30 per centof total poaching violations in Vietnam were discovered, while 70 per cent wereunknown, meaning that the number of the langurs hunted in the forest wasunclear.
Biologists,conservationists and experts shared the report at a conference on theconservation activities on endangered primates in the central provinces QuangNam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Gia Lai and Kon Tum,and discussed further actions from 2025 to 2030.
They agreed that illegalwildlife hunting, the expansion of coffee and log farms, poor management andplanning on the protection of the primates species in the six provinceshad been raising threats to the conservation of endangered primates.
Expert Ha Thang Long, head of therepresentative office of the Frankfurt Zoological Society in Vietnam, saidurgent action was needed for more effective protection of the langurs frombecoming extinct in the six provinces where from 2,200 to2,500 individuals are living in the primary forest or strictly protectednature reserves.
Areport from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development unveiled that thecentral region lost 34,000ha of forest due to illegal logging and landclearance for coffee, rubber and acacia plantations.
The forested area haddropped by 180,000ha, of which 112,000ha had been destroyed or occupied by theexpansion of other crop plantations, and 37,000ha for building hydropowerplants and roads between 2010-15, the report detailed./.
