57578184 final report le thi dien

Conservation of the Red-Shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus in Bach Ma National Park, Vietnam Final Report Prepared for People’s Trust for Endangered Species PTES By Le Thi

Conservation of the Red-Shanked Douc Langur

(Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus) in Bach Ma National Park,

Vietnam

Final Report Prepared for People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)

By Le Thi Dien

April, 2009

Executive Summary:

The red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus), is an endangered

monkey distributing in Vietnam, Lao, and Cambodia Through this study, we reported the total number of animals observed during the study is 22 animals (estimate 26 animals) The survey area is 130 km2 Therefore, current population density estimated was 0.17 individuals per km2 P nemaeus were mainly found at

elevation between 500 and 1.300m above sea level in Bach Ma National Park

Groups of P nemaues often distribute in restoration forest habitat or tropical

broadleaf evergreen rain forest habitat A total of 41 belonging to 25 families were

observed eaten by P nemaeus at Bach Ma National Park One of the most important finding is we add fifteen new tree species used by P nemaeus to the existing food list P nemaeus were observed feeding on variety of food items

including leaves, buds, flower buds, flowers, fruits, and bamboo shoots We also

recognised that three main threats to P nemaeus were identified during the study,

including hunting, habitat destruction and tourism Two senior students were instructed to do research and three training courses were be organized to improve conservation awareness of the BNP staffs, students of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, and local people in endangered primate species survey and monitoring

INTRODUCTION

The colobine monkeys of the genus Pygathrix are native to Indochina Until only ten years ago, just two distinct taxa were recognized: the red-shanked douc, Pygathrix nemaeus,

named by Linnaeus in 1771, in the northern part of Central Vietnam and Central Laos;

and the black-shanked douc, P nigripes, from South Vietnam and east Cambodia,

described exactly a century later by Milne-Edwards In Vietnam the douc langur is found from Tay Ninh province to Nghe An province (Pham, 1993) Red-shanked douc langurs

(Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus) are found in Bach Ma National Park, and black-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus nigripes) are found in Nam Cat Tien National Park in

Vietnam (Eames and Robson, 1993) Both the red and black-shanked douc langurs are found in Kong Cha Rang, Kon Khi Kinh, and Mom Ray Nature Reserves (Lippold, 1995)1

The beautiful red-shanked douc langur is only found in north and central Vietnam and Laos Its habitat is in the lowland to montane primary and secondary rainforest where it lives in the mid to upper levels of the canopy2 They live in moist tropical rain forest but have also adapted to dry (monsoon) forest (Camille Dorian, 2002)

The red-shanked douc langur has been listed as EN A1cd (IUCN Red List ver 2.3 (1994)), Appendix I (CITES), Endangered (Red Book on Fauna of Vietnam, 2004), and category IB (Decree 32/2006/ND-CP of Vietnam) However, their population sizes in the wild appear

to decline because of several conservation problems Firstly, habitat loss and forest fragmentation is one of the most important factors threatening this species The loss of natural forest by war, logging and the replacement of secondary natural forests by commercial plantation forests in the area has reduced the quality and quantity of natural habitat drastically Secondly, it is currently known as one of the most popular primates in the food and pet trade They are considered a delicacy all over Southeast Asia In addition, it is also in danger of becoming medicinal products because some traditional oriental medicines use douc langur body parts (Camille Dorian, 2002) Under pressure from hunting and habitat loss, the number of this species is dwindling fast Lastly, limiting

on skills of species monitoring and conserving of conservationists due to lacking the specific information of species as well as non-participating of local communities on wildlife conservation is another cause of the decline of this species in nature Without immediate and decisive conservation action, these species are likely to become extinct very soon3 There have been conservationists doing researches into distribution, population size and diet of the species Pham Nhat (1993) investigated into 49 floras of 22 fammilies used as

food by P nemaeus Some authors have identified the occurrence of the species in Bach

Ma Natonal Park such as Eames & Robson, 1993; Lippold, 1995; Matsumarra, 1997; Huynh Van Keo and Van Ngoc Thinh, 1998 However, due to the high hunting pressure in Bach Ma National Park, douc langur populations have considerably reduced (Vu Ngoc Thanh, pers comm.)

Therefore, data on biology, ecology, distribution, population abundance, and threats of the species is vital for long-term conservation and management recommendations Training courses and participating on project activities will provide local people, conservationists,

2 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/redshanked_douc_langur.htm

young researchers, students, and others with the necessary skills for conserving this species

AIMS OF PROJECT

The overall aim of our project is to obtain information useful for the better monitoring and conservation of the Red-Shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus) in particular and primate species in general in the central region of Vietnam Hiring local people and Bach Ma National Park staffs as field assistants within this project and training courses will allow for the capacity development and conservation awareness of stakeholder members

Through the study, we intend:

(1) To identify the distribution and abundance of P nemaeus;

(2) To study the ecology and behavior of P nemaeus;

(3) To assess current and potential threats to P nemaeus and its natural habitats and

propose possible solutions to the species conservation;

(4) To promote conservation awareness through employment and capacity development

of Bach Ma National Park staffs, students of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, and local people in endangered primate species survey and monitoring;

(5) To make appropriate conservation and management recommendations for the species and its habitats

Study site was selected based on local informants and previous reports Five transects were established within the langurs’ known habitats:

(i) Transect 1: Bach Ma summit - Coldebay: two expeditions;

(ii) Transect 2: Km 14 Bach Ma - Tri Sao waterfall: one expedition;

(iii) Transect 3: Km 14 Bach Ma - Truoi lake: one expedition;

(iv) Transect 4: Bach Ma summit - Lien Chi slope: one expedition

2 Research Time

The study was carried out from November, 2008 to May, 2009 in Bach Ma National Park

In the first month we interwiewed rangers of Bach Ma National Park to collect data of the

times they encountered P nemaues, the plants used as food by P nemaues and threats

to the species, and identified line-transects

In the rest months, we implemented field investigations in line-transects to collect data of distribution, population size, food plants of the species and threats to it Each expedition was investigated in one day per month The total number of days spent on field investigation is 30

3 Methodology

3.1 Interview

We carried out interviews with villagers, hunters, and experienced staffs of Bach Ma National Park to determine the most likely places for encountering the species These interviews also provided information on the current and past distribution and population size of the species, the list of food eaten by this species, as well as the threats to this species in the study area

Figure 01 The Map of observed transects

3.2 Forest survey

(+) Investigation into the species distribution status and population size

Investigation in each line-transect was carried out to observe the occurrence of P nemaeus The time for observation was from 6: am to 6: pm In addition, all signs such as

tracks, faeces, feeding signs, vocalizations, etc was noticed to determine distribution of this species

(+) Food

All samples of food plants and potential food were collected from areas known to be in the range of the monkeys.Representative samples of food eatenwere selected from trees in which monkeys would be observed feeding Additional samples were chosen from trees judged to be common in the habitat

(+) Threats

Threats to the species are identified through interviewing rangers, field observation, and the levels of threats are arranged according to the criteria: (+) range of impacts (total impacts in the park or partly impact), (+) intensity of impacts (strongly impact or slightly impact)

Surveying in the field 3.3 Training and workshop:

- Three field training courses will be organized to improve conservation awareness of the BNP staffs, students of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, and local people in endangered primate species survey and monitoring

- A workshop among the related stakeholders (Conservationists of Bach Ma National Park, local authorities, local people, research team members, staffs of the Green Corridor Project, Staffs of NGOs related to conservation in Thua Thien Hue Province, students of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry) by the end of the project will be organized to present the research findings; have discussions; receive comments from participants to finalize the research report; and create a network for research and primate conservation among stakeholders

RESULTS

1 Population status

Three groups and one solitary juvenile female of P nemaeus were recorded based on

direct observations and informants during the study The number of animals and age/sex composition of 3 groups observed are presented in table 01

The highest count for a single group was 10 animals (estimated 12 animals) and the lowest count for a single group was 5 animals (estimated 7 animals) Average group size

is 7 animals The estimates were based on evidences such as branch movements and vocalizations Juveniles were seen in all three groups An Infant clinging an adult female was observed in group 3 in July 2008 The infants/adults ratio is 1: 2.75 It was difficult to identify sexes of adults in the field since the groups observed traveled fast and observations were made at distance Further, animals appeared to be wary of observers and they often fled away when detected observers

Table 01 Population sizes of Red-shanked douc langur in BMNP

No Count Estimate Adult

Male

Adult female Juveniles Infants

The solitary juvenile was rescued and released to the forest by forest rangers in July,

2007 when it was confined in a cage Local people said that they had caught this Langur

in April, 2006 Meanwhile, the Langur was about 4-5 months old, it was in burned status because it had been carried by his mother to near the field which was being burned for afforestation At the time being rescued, this Langur was about 20 months old and in good health condition When it is released, at first it only fed around the burnt-over land Later, it moved gradually to the top, it is currently seen at an altitude of 600-700m Although living close to the group of 5-7 langurs (2 km far from this group), the animal appeared not to integrate with neighboring groups since she always traveled, fed and rested alone and kept distance with neighboring groups

The total number of animals observed during the study is 22 animals (estimate 26 animals) The survey area is 130 km2 Therefore, current population density estimated was 0.17 individuals per km2

2 Distribution

The locations and elevations of 3 groups and a solitary female juvenile of Pygathrix nemaeus are shown in table 2.1 P nemaeus were mainly found at elevation between 500

and 1.300m above sea level in Bach Ma National Park According to local reports,

Pygathryx nemaeus were often seen in CHO DEN (Prashorea stellata) forest and

surrouding areas These groups sometimes shift from Truoi Pond to Morin for feeding

Table 02 Distribution of 3 groups and a solitary juvenile female of

P nemaeus at BMNP

No Elevation (m) Locations Habitats

Solitary 18-678 N:16017,185’

E:107010,126 N: 16013,125’E:107096,337’

Burnt-over land, tropical broadleaf evergreen rain forest (poor forests)

The distribution of the P nemaeus are shown by Figure 02

In Bach Ma National park, groups of P nemaues often distribute in restoration forest

habitat or tropical broadleaf evergreen rain forest habitat However, the species has a

wide range for feeding, from field habitat in the Park foot (in altitude of 18m) to tropical broadleaf evergreen rain forest (in altitude over 900m).

sub-The Investigation and interviews show that the P nemaues lives and feeds on many

different types of forests However, it only occasionally feeds on poor forest habitat with forest structure is broken down completely, the cover is <0.3 with some poor quanlity plants, and many vines and bushes Most of the time, the species lives and feeds in restoration forest habitat with tree species compositions formed, medium forests, and rich forests

Especially, area of CHO DEN (Prashorea stellata) forests which has a very steep terrain

with many rock walls, and CHO DEN (Prashorea stellata) population distributing almost

homogeneously with dense branches and not many interlacing vines is the most favourite

areas of P nemaues.

Figure 02 Distribution map of P nemaeus at BMNP

3 Organization and Behaviour of the P nemaeus in research sites

3.1 Social system

The social system of P nemaeus varies between a unimale and a multimale-multifemale system The social system of the P nemaeus depends on the roles played by each individual in the group In each group, there will be one adult male P nemaeus by whom

the power of the group is held and most of the important activities of the group are organized In addition, male and female individuals of this species are also found living

alone in forests A ratio of one male and one female is often found in each group of the P nemaeus Females have a higher tendency to groom males in multimale groups than in

unimale groups

In research sites, most of the time P nemaeus is found living in groups with an adult male

P nemaeus leading When discovering strange sounds, they often inform others of

dangers by growling Then, they begin their movements through the forest canopy to other areas in the forests while carefully turning back to observe and growling In each group, mature individuals often get food for others, especially for younger individuals in the group Infants are often carried ventrally when they are foraging for food or making their movement through forest canopy Basing on the times of their occurrences that were observed, this species can be said to live and move among branches of trees usually Sometimes, they also feed on the ground

Thus, the social organization system of the P nemaeus has common features with those

of other kinds of Primate living in groups on trees

3.2 Behaviour

The P nemaeus is one of the species of langurs lives on trees and carries out their

activities at day-time They live in the mid to upper levels of the canopy

* Daily activities:

Daily activities of this species consist of playing, climbing, jumping up and down in one place, stooping, hanging, and swinging from overhead supports Contact between individuals during play consists

of touching, pulling, mouthing, wrestling, and chasing in social play, immature group members tend to play more than adults The most popular times for play are just after eating time and before resting at night

* Vocal communication of the P nemaeus:

Based on secondary researches and field researches, vocal communication of the P nemaeus is realized to consist of:

twitter: This call consists of a range of faint, slightly squeaky, bird-like twittering sounds (Kavanagh, 1978) This call sounds like the "maiow" of a cat and is often produced at high intensities This call is often accompanied by grimace This call occurs in a response to stare of others or as a submissive signal It can also be a signal allowing an individual to approach another without getting a hostile response

growl: This call occurs during feeding or during the stare display When emitted during stare, this call serves to communicate threat This call was found to be only emitted by adults as to inform of dangers or express angers This call may be uttered singly or in series of two or three followed by a pause, then a repeat of the series

squeal: This call is a short and harsh sound of high frequencies This call is emitted during agonistic disturbances between combative individuals This call serves to signal distress

or frustration

* Time period of daily activities and resting of the P nemaeus:

This is a primate species living on trees and carrying out their activities at day-time

According to previous studies, the most popular times of the P nemaeus for play are late

mornings, early afternoons, and just before resting at night (Lippold, 1977) Thus, based

on these pieces of information as well as field researches, interviews with staff members, tourists and local people living in buffer zone of Bach Ma National Park, the time period of

daily activities and resting of the P nemaeus has been preliminarily identified and

indicated as in the statistic table below:

Table 03 Time period of daily activities of the P nemaeus

Feeding Around 6:am to 10:30am, 13:30 to 17:30

Play

Near noon time, around 10:30 to 11:30, in early afternoon from 13:00-13:30, and before resting time at night from 17:30

to 18:30 Resting At night from 18:30-6:00am, at noon time from 11:30-13:00 Time period of daily activities of this species is indicated clearer in the graph below:

Figure 03 Percentage of time for daily activities of the P nemaeus

Thus, most of the time in a day is used for feeding and resting Resting time takes the highest percentage with 13 hours and 55% of a day time Feeding time is about 8.5 hours, take 35% of a day time, and 2.5 hours left is play time, take 10% of a day time

* Parental care and protection:

Movement of the group is led by the adult males with females and infants in the center and juvenile males bringing up the rear (Lippold, 1998) Infants are often carried ventrally

by their mothers or adult members when the group is moving or feeding Sometimes, group members break off part of a branch with leaves and give it to another group member (Kavanagh,1978)

A total of 41 belonging to 25 families were observed eaten by P nemaeus at Bach Ma

National Park (Table 04; figure 04) Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, and Poaceae families

have largest number of tree species used by P nemaeus (4 species) This was followed