Cat Ba Langur – The Rarest Primate

Conservation status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Common name: golden-headed or Cat Ba langur
Scientific name: Trachypithecus poliocephalus
Type: Mammal
Diet: leaves, flowers, fruits
Length: 50 cm (tail 85 cm)
Weight: 9 kg.

Cat Ba Langur, also known as the golden-headed langur, is arguably the world’s rarest primate (and definitely included in the list of 25 most endangered primates) with less than 70 individuals remaining in the Cat Ba island, Vietnam.

Cat Ba Langurs are diurnal creatures and travel in groups of about four to eighteen animals. They prefer the steep limestone cliffs that make up most of Cat Ba Island. Most of the places that they are found are not accessible to humans by foot.

These primates saw about 80% drop in population due to hunting, which was driven by the demand for traditional medicine. Cat Ba langurs were used to make a “monkey balm” believed to help with erectile dysfunction and other health issues. Between 1970 and 1986, an estimated 500 to 800 langurs were killed. Luckily, conservation effort seems to be paying off as it is believed that the population actually increased from 40 since 2003. I hope this positive trend continues in the future

Video:

References:

1. “Cat Ba Langur – Trachypithecus Poliocephalus”. Ecologyasia.Com, https://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/mammals/cat-ba-langur.htm.
2. Stone, Charlie, and Charlie Stone. “Help Save The Cat Ba Langur – Backpacker Bible”. Backpacker Bible, https://backpackerbible.org/help-save-the-cat-ba-langur/.