Vietnam Primate Conservation Status Review 2002 - Hoang Lien ...

Vietnam Primate Conservation Status Review Part 2: LEAF MONKEYS
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5.1.6.4 Other options for conservation
Currently, no information is available to conclude with any degree of certainty that a viable population
of R. avunculus remains in Vietnam. The last hope for the survival of the species may be a captive
breeding programme which might be undertaken immediately.
The Biodiversity Action Plan for Vietnam (Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam & Global
Environment Facility Project, 1994) lists ex-situ conservation projects as part of a coordinated species
survival strategy. Ex-situ programs are recommended for taxa that meet three criteria:
✱ The taxa has a restricted area, endemic range with a global range of less than 50,000 km 2.
✱ The taxa is “Critically Endangered”
✱ In-situ conservation is failing to prevent population decline.
R. avunculus meet all three criteria.
Hence, a timely assessment of the behaviour, diet and ecological relationships of this species is
necessary to support both a captive breeding programme and the required planning for subsequent
release into a suitably designed, well-protected natural area which can support these species.
If small, isolated groups are found, an alternative to captive breeding would be to translocate animals
to areas with larger sub-populations, provided that threats to the species in the release area have
been eradicated and sufficent data made available on the viability of the habitat and forest area to
sustain additional animals.