WWF-Vietnam, GreenViet work to protect endangered primates
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Vietnam and the Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, will work together on a project to protect the gray-shanked douc langurs incentral Quang Nam province’s Nui Thanh district in 2020.
A joint patrol team of rangers and locals check a habitat of the gray-shanked douc langur - an endangered primate - in Nui Thanh district of Quang Nam. (Photo: VNA)
Quang Nam (VNS/VNA) - The World Wide Fund forNature (WWF)-Vietnam and the Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet,will work together on a project to protect the gray-shanked douc langurs incentralQuang Nam province’s Nui Thanh district in 2020.
Director of GreenViet Tran Huu Vy, said the one-year projectwould help improve forest patrol skills to protect a herd of gray-shanked douclangurs (pygathrix cinerea) – a critically endangered species – living in DongCo village of Tam My Tay commune.
The project, with funding of 350 million VND (15,000 USD)from WWF-Vietnam, will help provide knowledge and skills for a team of 10volunteers from the village.
“It is a significant effort made by the community to protectthe endangered primates. They (local villagers) patrolled the 30ha primaryforest area – where the primates live – following irregular visits at nearbylog farms,” Vy said.
“We provided equipment, the Spatial Monitoring Reporting Tool(SMART) for conservation and protection of wildlife, data recording duringjungle trips over a total of 150ha of protective zone,” he said.
He added the project would include improving awareness amongthe community and illegal hunters on wildlife and protection of biodiversity.
A fire-free zone was set up on a 70ha log farm – a safehabitat for the gray-shanked douc langurs, he added.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Tri Thanhsaid the province had been seeking a fund of 4.4 million USD to restore a 100haarea as a safe habitat for the gray-shanked douc langurs.
Currently, the herd of the langurs has gathered in a10ha-area of primary forest due to the development of acacia log farms.
According to a report by the provincial Forest ProtectionDivision, a herd of about 50 gray-shanked douc langurs was found living in thearea in 1997.
The local community and district rangers established avoluntary team to protect the endangered primates from being hunted.
According to Dr. Ha Thang Long, head of the FrankfurtZoological Society, some 1,000 gray-shanked doucs have been found in forests offive provinces, including Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum and Gia Lai.
The gray-shanked douc langur is listed on the InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature red list as one of the world’s 25 criticallyendangered primates./.
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A joint patrol team of rangers and locals check a habitat of the gray-shanked douc langur - an endangered primate - in Nui Thanh district of Quang Nam. (Photo: VNA) 
