Two red-shanked douc langurs at Son Tra Nature Reserve in Da Nang (Photo courtesy GreenViet) Da Nang (VNA) — Recentrapid construction of more than 20 hotels and resorts in Son Tra Nature Reserve is threatening the survival ofhighly endangered langurs and other wildlife.
Human activities, such as illegallogging and hunting, also continue to badly affect the lives of the primatesand wildlife in the reserve.
The 4,400ha Son Tra Nature Reserve,known for its rich biodiversity, is home to more than 1,300 red-shanked douclangurs and more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species.
The langurs were declared endangered bythe International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013, but thiswas recently redefined as critically endangered – nearly extinct.
Six of the monkeys were killed bymotorcyclists in 2015-17, and two cases of illegal hunting were uncovered. Twored-shanked douc langurs were reportedly killed for eating. And about 10ha offorest were illegally logged between 2014-16.
Thousands of traps and tonnes ofrubbish were also collected by local rangers and volunteers during theperiod.
This week, a new project waslaunched to help save the rare primates. Da Nang’s rural authorities announcedthe start of reforestation to create a safehabitat for the Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathryxnemaeus) in the reserve.
The project, being run by the city’sagriculture and rural development department and an NGO, the GreenViet, will helpreplant 1.5ha of native trees, including Cho (Parashorea chinensis), banyan (Ficus bengalensis) and Sao den (Hopea odorata). Total investment will be 250 millionVND (11,000 USD).
The project also involves an educationprogramme to raise awareness of the need to protect biodiversity.
Under the programme, 25,000 school studentsand more than 3,000 local residents will be taught the importance of biological variety on field trips to the Son Tra Nature Reserve.
Last year, a business group donated 9,700USD to build canopy gap bridges for the endangered langurs to cross roadssafely.
Re-use Everything Institute Inc ofFinland agreed to fund 25,000 USD for biodiversity research in the Son Trareserve to help protect the langurs.
The Frankfurt Zoological Society andthe San Diego Zoo have also been cooperating with the city to try and save theprimates. -VNA
The 4,400ha Son Tra Nature Reserve,known for its rich biodiversity, is home to more than 1,300 red-shanked douclangurs and more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species.
The langurs were declared endangered bythe International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013, but thiswas recently redefined as critically endangered – nearly extinct.
Six of the monkeys were killed bymotorcyclists in 2015-17, and two cases of illegal hunting were uncovered. Twored-shanked douc langurs were reportedly killed for eating. And about 10ha offorest were illegally logged between 2014-16.
Thousands of traps and tonnes ofrubbish were also collected by local rangers and volunteers during theperiod.
This week, a new project waslaunched to help save the rare primates. Da Nang’s rural authorities announcedthe start of reforestation to create a safehabitat for the Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathryxnemaeus) in the reserve.
The project, being run by the city’sagriculture and rural development department and an NGO, the GreenViet, will helpreplant 1.5ha of native trees, including Cho (Parashorea chinensis), banyan (Ficus bengalensis) and Sao den (Hopea odorata). Total investment will be 250 millionVND (11,000 USD).
The project also involves an educationprogramme to raise awareness of the need to protect biodiversity.
Under the programme, 25,000 school studentsand more than 3,000 local residents will be taught the importance of biological variety on field trips to the Son Tra Nature Reserve.
Last year, a business group donated 9,700USD to build canopy gap bridges for the endangered langurs to cross roadssafely.
Re-use Everything Institute Inc ofFinland agreed to fund 25,000 USD for biodiversity research in the Son Trareserve to help protect the langurs.
The Frankfurt Zoological Society andthe San Diego Zoo have also been cooperating with the city to try and save theprimates. -VNA
VNA
