Meet Vietnam's endangered primates

By Pham Huong   December 14, 2016 | 10:28 pm PT
Poaching and habitat loss have pushed many primate species to the brink of extinction.

Conservation experts warn that 21 of Vietnam's 24 primate species are critically endangered.

One of them is the grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea). The primates often live in groups with 10-15 individuals each in the jungles. There are about 1,500 individuals in the country, down sharply from the number in the year 2,000 due to poaching and illegal trading. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

The grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea) lives in packs of 10-15 individuals. Only about 1,500 members of the species remain in Vietnam due to rampant poaching. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

Delacours langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) is found in restricted areas in northern Vietnam. Only about 200 individuals may exist in Vietnam currently with about half in Van Long Natural Reserve in the northern province of Ninh Binh. They are one of the Worlds 25 Most Endangered Primates. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

The Delacour's langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) survives in restricted areas of northern Vietnam. Scientists say only about 200 individuals likely remain -- about half that population lives in the Van Long Natural Reserve in Ninh Binh Province. They are one of the World's 25 Most Endangered Primates. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) is one of the top 25 most endangered primates in the world, and is one of the 100 creatures that are on the verge of extinction on the earth. There are fewer than 250 individuals in some small jungles in the northern mountainous provinces of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang. The monkey has a flattened face with a pink upturned nose, thickened pink lips and areas of blue skin around its eyes. It is found at altitudes of 200 to 1,200 m (700 to 3,900 ft) on fragmentary patches of forest on craggy limestone areas. Photo by Le Khac Quyet

The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) is also one of 25 most endangered primates in the world, and has been included on a list of 100 species on the verge of extinction. Fewer than 250 individuals are estimated to remain high in the craggy mountain forests of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces. Photo by Le Khac Quyet

The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) is a critically endangered langur. There exist about 70 individuals in Cat Ba Island in the northern coastal city of Hai Phong. It is also one of the top 25 most endangered primates in the world. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) is critically endangered. A population of about 70 individuals remain on Cat Ba Island off the coast of Hai Phong. The species ranks as one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world. Photo by Nguyen Van Truong

The northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is a species of gibbon native to South East Asia. They are found in some natural reserves in Vietnam. The biggest group of the primate, about 450 individuals, is believed to live in the Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An. Photo by Fan Peng Fei

The northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is native to Southeast Asia. The world's largest community of the species, about 450 individuals, is believed to reside in Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An. Photo by Fan Peng Fei

The red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) is among the most colourful of all primates. They exist in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and are also on the verge of extinction. The douc eats and sleeps in the trees of the forest.

The red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) is among the most colorful of all primates. Populations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are also on the verge of extinction.

The eastern black crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is a species of gibbon found in northern Vietnam. Currently there are about 130 individuals in Trung Khanh Natural Reserve in the northern province of Cao Bang.

The eastern black-crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is found in northern Vietnam. Scientists say about 130 individuals remain in Trung Khanh Natural Reserve in the northern province of Cao Bang.

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