Endangered monkeys found
2007-07-03 11:30
Hanoi - A large population of grey-shanked douc monkeys has been found in central Vietnam, raising hopes that the endangered species could be saved from extinction, wildlife scientists announced on Tuesday.
At least 116 animals were observed in recent surveys in the central province of Quang Nam, experts from the environmental group WWF and Conservation International (CI) said in a statement.
Scientists estimate a population of over 180 individuals, and many more may live in the surrounding forest as only a small part of the area was surveyed.
"To put into a human perspective, this discovery is like finding a new country with over one billion people in it," said CI biologist Ben Rawson.
"We now have a much greater opportunity to overcome the very serious threats faced by this species and prevent its disappearance from our planet," he said.
The grey-shanked douc, one of the world's 25 most endangered primates, has only been recorded in Vietnam's Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Gia Lai provinces.
Fewer than 1 000 individuals are believed to still exist and, until now, only one other population with more than 100 animals was known, the scientists said.
"It's very rare to discover a population of this size with such high numbers in a small area, especially for a species on the brink of extinction," said Barney Long, a co-ordinator for the WWF in Vietnam.
"This indicates that the population has not been impacted by hunting like all other known populations of the species," he said.
First classified only in 1997, grey-shanked doucs, tree-dwelling colobine monkeys with orange faces and tufts of whiskers, face an uncertain future due to hunting and habitat loss.