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

Vietnam Primate Conservation Status Review Part 2: LEAF MONKEYS
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✱ Prohibition of the trade in threatened animals. As well as hunting, trade of protected primate
species is strictly forbidden by Vietnamese law and any violation is normally subject to
punishment. However, it is still easy to find threatened animals in markets, as much in
rural as in urban markets. Furthermore, in several places, wildlife traders act with impunity,
though they are known by local authorities. These facts reflect that the law is not properly
applied and controls are largely insufficient. A central policy to control commercial use of
wildlife must be developed. The prohibition and punishment of production, use and trade
of traditional medicine made from primate parts must be a priority for primate conservation
given that this is the main motivation for which animals are now hunted. Wildlife trade
control must be extended to zoological gardens. Only animals born in captivity or confiscated
from illegal trafficing should be authorised to enter such institutions. Although a large
proportion of traded animals are probably used locally, a significant part serve to supply
neighbouring countries’ markets, mainly Chinese (Compton & Le Hai Quang, 1998;
Duckworth et al. 1999b, Ngo Van Tri & Day, 1999; Ngo Van Tri & Lormée, 2000). In this
way, international cooperation is required, particularly with regard to destination countries,
such as China and Thailand. Patrolling groups must be increased along the Chinese border
where a significant amount of wildlife products are sold. These measures must be extended
along the border of Lao PDR and Cambodia, from whence much of the Vietnamese market
is supplied and in turn the Chinese market (Martin & Phipps, 1996; Compton & Le Hai
Quang, 1998; Duckworth et al., 1999b).
7.2 Population management
The isolation of forested areas and the reduction of populations due to hunting has resulted in
several primate taxa being limited to small, fragmented sub-populations which are unable to interbreed.
Recent discoveries of locations where endangered primate species occur, and their dramatic decline
in these places suggest that only translocation or ex-situ management could save these individuals
and the loss of the genetic diversity.
Single animals and very small populations could be translocated to areas where other groups exist.
Unfortunately, at the present time no area in Vietnam possesses the necessary conditions of safety to
make such a programme viable.
A captive breeding programme cannot be considered as a priority in relation to the in-situ protection
of primate species. However, the Biodiversity Action Plan for Vietnam (Government of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam and Global Environment Facility Project VIE/91/G31 1994) lists ex-situ
conservation projects as part of a coordinated species survival strategy. Ex-situ programmes are
recommended for taxa that meet three criteria:
✱ The taxon has a restricted, endemic distribution with a global range of less than 50,000km 2
✱ The taxon is critically endangered
✱ In-situ conservation is failing to obstruct population decline.
All three criteria are met for
✱ Cat Ba langur
✱ Delacour’s langur
✱ Grey-shanked douc langur and
✱ Tonkin snub-nosed monkey