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Our Work |
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 Cat Ba
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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