Primates in Peril

one group consisting of two females was successfully
translocated from a small off-shore islet where they
had become stranded to the relative safety of the
strictly protected core zone of Cat Ba National Park.
Here they quickly assimilated into existing groups
containing males, thus allowing them the opportunity
to reproduce for the first time ever. It is hoped that
continued protection efforts and additional population
management interventions such as these will enhance
the rebound of this species.
The Cat Ba Archipelago and adjacent Ha Long Bay
are nationally and internationally recognized for
their importance to biodiversity conservation. Cat
Ba National Park was established in 1986. It presently
covers more than half of the main island. Ha Long Bay
was established as a World Heritage site in 1994 and
the combined archipelago includes some 1,500–2,000
large and small islands, cliffs and rocks. In 2004 the
Cat Ba Archipelago was designated a UNESCO Man
and the Biosphere Reserve. Despite the conservation
designations and laws to protect the region, nature
and wildlife protection on Cat Ba Island is deficient.
Environmental awareness and commitment among the
local communities is slowly increasing and hunting/
trapping of all animals is illegal on Cat Ba, but efforts
to effectively conserve the langurs and their habitat
continue to face major obstacles due to ever increasing
tourism development paired with a steadily increasing
human population and severe deficiencies in law
enforcement (Stenke 2005, N. Leonard pers. obs.). As is
common elsewhere in the region, poaching by the local
people is driven by livelihood issues, brought about by
low incomes and a lack of employment opportunity.
Immense local and regional demand for wildlife and
animal parts for food and dubious traditional medicines
provide a market for poached animals and plants. It
appears that langur hunting completely stopped years
ago, but hunters continue to poach other animals and
plants within langur areas, placing the langur habitat
in jeopardy. Strict enforcement of the established
protections is necessary for the survival of all species
on Cat Ba that are targeted by the Asian wildlife trade.
inform future population management decisions, and
to help contribute to the conservation of the overall
biodiversity of the Cat Ba Archipelago in collaboration
with Vietnamese authorities.
References
Bleisch, B., Le Xuan Canh, H. H. Covert and Long
Yongcheng. 2008. Trachypithecus poliocephalus ssp.
poliocephalus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. . Accessed 18 March 2014.
Nadler, T. and Ha Thang Long. 2000. The Cat Ba
Langur: Past, Present and Future. The Definitive Report
on Trachypithecus poliocephalus - the World’s Rarest
Primate. Frankfurt Zoological Society, Hanoi.
Nadler, T., F. Momberg, Nguyen Xuan Dang and N.
Lormee (eds.). 2003. Vietnam Primate Conservation
Status Review 2002. Part 2: Leaf Monkeys, pp.55–67.
Fauna and Flora International and Frankfurt Zoological
Society, Hanoi.
Stenke, R. 2005. Conservation of the Golden-headed
Langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus)
on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Status of the Goldenheaded
Langur and of Human Impact in Langur Areas.
Report, People’s Committee of Hai Phong (Provincial
Government). Cat Ba, Hai Phong, Vietnam.
Stenke, R. and Chu Xuan Canh. 2004. The golden-headed
langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus)
on Cat Ba Island – status, threat factors, and recovery
options. In: Conservation of Primates in Vietnam, T.
Nadler, U. Streicher and Ha Thang Long (eds.), pp.72–
77. Frankfurt Zoological Society, Hanoi.
A conservation program for the Cat Ba langur was
initiated on Cat Ba Island in November 2000 by
Allwetterzoo Münster and the Zoological Society for
the Conservation of Species and Populations (ZGAP),
Germany. The aim of the Cat Ba Langur Conservation
Program is to provide for the protection of the langurs
and their habitat, conduct research that will help
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