Delacour’s Langur

At a Glance

In the limestone karst forests of northern Vietnam, one of the world’s most endangered primates is hanging on in the remaining fragments of its habitat. The local name for the Delacour’s Langur loosely translates to “langur with white shorts”in a nod to its unusual markings. The monkeys have special pads on their hands, feet and rump that allow them to sit on the sharp karst formations; they also frequently sleep in caves at night, which is a rare behavior among primates.

The Delacour Langur’s is threatened by habitat degradation due to local communities collecting firewood and making charcoal, as well as goats grazing in the sensitive limestone forests. However, the langur’s biggest threat may be hunting for traditional medicine and food. While the species has declined rapidly in recent decades, conservation efforts are helping it recover in one reserve. The majority of the Delacour’s Langur population lives inside the Van Long Nature Reserve, which was created in 2001. The reserve is patrolled by local community members, and even some former poachers. The number of Delacour’s Langurs living in Van Long Nature Reserve has quadrupled.

Although the latest IUCN Red List assessment in 2015 estimated that 240 to 250 individuals remain in the wild, more recent research indicates that the real number may be higher. A 2022 drone survey estimated that Kim Bang Forest alone contained about 175 Delacour’s Langurs — a number 80 to 113% higher than previous ground-based surveys. While this is great news for a species, it doesn’t mean that Delacour’s Langur is out of the woods. With such a small population, every individual is important for the species’ survival and more action is needed to reduce the threats to the Delacour’s Langur and bolster its wild populations.

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