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Our
Work |
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How
We Are Saving The Cat Ba Langur |
At the end of 1999, alarmed by reports that there might have
only about 100 langurs survived on Cat Ba Island, the
Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and
Populations (ZGAP) and Münster Zoo immediately took steps to
implement a conservation programme
for this endangered primate species.
The “Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project” was started in
November 2000. By then the number of surviving langurs had
further dropped - to a mere 53 individuals. The stopping of
langur poaching therefore became the main objective of the
conservation project. Project activities concentrated on the
close monitoring of the langur population, the evaluation and
implementation of protection measures for single langur
groups, the promotion of public conservation awareness, and
the capacity building of the Cat Ba National Park staff. These
efforts have culminated in bringing hunting of langurs to a
halt, and for the first time in decades the World’s only
remaining population of the Cat Ba langurs has increased to at
least 65 individuals at present.
A Strictly Protected Sanctuary for the Golden- headed Langur
In 2002 the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project established a
strictly protected langur sanctuary inside Cat Ba National
Park. This area is home to the largest remaining langur
sub-population. This sub-population is designated to play a
major role in the recovery of the Cat Ba langur and will be
the most important founder group for future langur
generations. In order to optimize the protection status it was
necessary to significantly increase the presence of forest
rangers in this area. Consequently two additional ranger
stations were constructed and 20 forest rangers were
dispatched to protect the langur sanctuary. A visible
demarcation of the sanctuary area and the setting of booms at
the mouth of certain fjords facilitated the work of the forest
rangers. In addition, boats and fuel for ranger patrols,
provided by the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project, help to
maintain a high patrol frequency. Surveillance was also
boosted by the involvement of local households eager to
support the forest rangers. Many locals even relocated their
floating homes to remote parts of the island to collectively
ensure a watchful presence and control over large sections of
the langur sanctuary.
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Please note:
The sanctuary is not accessible for tourists |
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Rangers on patrol - one of the main prerequisites for the recovery of the
Cat Ba langur is to avoid further losses to poaching. With the current low
size of the population, any loss of an additional individual has to
be considered as a disaster.
The langurs at home in the safety of the sanctuary
One of the rangers erects a sign prohibiting entrance to the
langur sanctuary
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