Douc langur has a very distinctive color. It is the most beautiful langur in the world. There are 5 different colors shading across its body. Its head is gray in color. The color of the center of its forehead is black-gray to maroon shade. Its beard, tail, and bottom are white in color. Its face is yellow in color. Male douc langur is twice bigger than female. Male has two white hair tufts at its rump but female does not have. It likes to rest after eating. It is quite difficult to be raise. Newborn is gold in color like any other langurs.
HABITAT AND ECOLOGY The Red-shanked Douc is associated with primary and secondary evergreen and semi-evergreen forests in both broadleaf and mixed broadleaf-coniferous forest, from lowland to montane habitats (recorded up to 1600 m a.s.l. in Lao PDR) and also associated with forests on limestone (e.g., in Hin Namno NPA and Phong Nha Ke Bang NP) (Nadler et al. 2003; Coudrat et al. 2012). The Red-shanked Douc is diurnal and arboreal but occasionally come to the ground as evinced by a number of camera-trap pictures within its range. The species has been very little studied in the wild with only two long-term (>12 months) studies, and other opportunistic observations (Lippold 1998; Phiapalath 2009; Ulibarri 2013). The diet of Red-shanked Douc consists mainly of leaves (consistently with a highest percentage of young leaves), followed by fruits/seeds, flowers, bark/pith (Nadler et al. 2003; Phiapalath 2009; Ulibarri 2013). The group dynamics of the species remain little understood. Studies suggest the species has a modular society characterized by fission-fusion of several one-male units gathering and dividing daily (Ulibarri 2013; Long Thang Ha pers. comm. 2015). Because of this apparent group dynamics observed in the species and genus, home range is challenging to assess and needs to be distinguished between home range of the unit vs. home range of the group (i.e., fusion of >1 units). In Lao PDR, the average home range for two groups (of 19 and 39 individuals, both comprising between 2 to 3 units) was estimated at 3 km² (Phiapalath 2009). In Viet Nam, home range of a group (21 individuals, including three units) was estimated at 36 ha (Ulibarri 2013). The striking contrast between these two estimates calls for additional long-term studies on the species. In Viet Nam, it was found that the fission–fusion pattern is strongly related to the daily activity budgets, food availability and rainfall (Ulibarri 2013). Average size of a unit was 6.5 individuals, average size of a group was 18 individuals, and groups averaged ~3 units/group. Units were one-male/multi-female and multi-male/multi-female (Ulibarri 2013). The annual activity budget of P. nemaeus was estimated in limestone forest in Lao PDR at 40% feeding, 10% moving, 33% resting, 5% socialising and 14% other activities (Phiapalath 2009). In Viet Nam, in a coastal evergreen forest, the species spent 35% ‘inactive’, 29% moving, 22% socialising, 14% feeding and 1% self-grooming (Ulibarri 2013). Additional research needs to be done on the ecology of the species to clarify its home range, group dynamics, diet and nutritional requirements.
It eats leafs and treetops like any other langurs.
Douc langur is taciturn and likes to stay in a group.
This species is listed on CITES Appendix I. In Viet Nam, the species is legally protected under Appendix 1B of Decree 32 (2006) and Appendix I of Decree 160 (2013). In Lao PDR, the species is legally protected under the ‘Prohibited’ category of the list of threatened species, and the Wildlife and Aquatic Law (2007). In Cambodia, the species is protected under the Cambodian Forestry Law under which it is listed as “Rare” (2002). Red-shanked Douc is found in a number of National Protected Areas across its range, but unless there is international involvement in conservation efforts, NPAs are typically poorly managed. Those with ongoing conservation efforts where P. nemaeus occurs (as of 2015) include: In Lao PDR: Nakai-Nam Theun NPA; Hin Namno NPA; Laving–Laveun NPA; corridors between Xe Pian-Dong Ampham and Dong Ampham-Xe Sap NPAs; Xe Sap NPA; Koung Xe Nongma Provincial Protected Area. Many others with records from the 1990s have not received appropriate subsequent survey, but it would be rash to assume the species persists in all such areas. Nonetheless, it has probably not yet been eradicated from all of them. In Viet Nam: two Saola Nature Reserves; Bach Ma NP; Son Tra NR; Phong Nha Ke Bang NP; Chu Mom Ray NP; Phong Dien NR, Dak Rong NR. In Cambodia: Virachey NP. Conservation organizations specifically focussing on the study and/or conservation of the species are: Project Anoulak in Nakai-Nam Theun NPA, Lao PDR (www.conservationlaos.com), Southern Institute of Ecology (SIE) in Son Tra NR Viet Nam, GreenViet in Son Tra NP, Viet Nam (http://en.greenviet.org/), The Douc Langur Foundation (http://douclangur.org/) in Viet Nam, Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (captive population), Viet Nam.
CLASS : Mammalia
ORDER : Primates
FAMILY : Cercopithecidae
GENUS : Pygathrix
SPECIES : Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus)
Conservation status : Critically Endangered
There is no certain mating behavior. Gestation period is around 196 days. One litter contains only one young.
Update : 11 April 2017
