Table of Contents
Overview
Brief Summary
Biology
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Comprehensive Description
Description
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Distribution
Range Description
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Geographic Range
The geographic range of golden langurs is limited to Assam, India and neighboring Bhutan where they live year-round. The area they inhabit is restricted to the region surrounded by four geographical landmarks: the foothills of Bhutan (north), Manas river (east), Sankosh river (west), and Brahmaputra river (south).
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )
- Aranyak. 2002. "Non-Human Primates in Northeast India" (On-line). Aaranyak. Accessed October 13, 2004 at http://www.aaranyak.org/Primates.htm.
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India (Assam), Bhutan
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Range
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Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
Golden langurs can be most easily recognized by the color of their fur, after which they are named. Their hair ranges from dark golden to creamy buff and their faces are black and hairless except for a long pale beard. The color of their fur differs across their bodies with a slightly darker red on the top and sides and a lighter color underneath. It has been noted that their fur changes colors according to the seasons. In the winter it is dark golden chestnut and in the summer it is more cream colored. The color of the young also differs from adults in that they are almost pure white. Color varies geographically. Golden langurs in the south tend to be more uniform in color and smaller than those in the northern regions.
The overall shape of this monkey is slim, with long limbs and tail. The tail has a tassle on the end and is notably larger in males than in females. Males also tend to be slightly larger than females, although no weights have been recorded. The head and body measures from 50 to 75 cm and the tail ranges from 70 to 100 cm.
Range length: 120 to 175 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; ornamentation
Average mass: 8100 g.
- K K Gurung. 1996. Field Guide to the Mammals of the Subcontinent. London: Academic Press Inc..
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
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Habitat
Golden langurs occupy moist evergreen and tropical deciduous forests as well as some riverine areas and savannas in Assam and Bhutan. They are very much dependent on trees, living in the upper canopy of sub-tropical forests in the south and in more temperate forests in the north. The elevations they inhabit also vary according to their geographic range. They may be found at elevations close to sea level in the south and up to 3000 m at the foothills of Bhutan in the north. Aside from their natural habitats, golden langurs can also be found in wildlife reserves in both India and Bhutan. In Bhutan, a combination of four different national parks and wildlife sanctuaries comprise most of the area in which golden langurs are found. In Assam, they inhabit the two wildlife sanctuaries there, as well as parts of fragmented reserve forests, proposed reserve forests, and other non-forested areas.
Range elevation: 0 to 3000 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest
Other Habitat Features: riparian
- 2004. "Nature Wildfacts - Golden langur, golden leaf monkey" (On-line). BBC - Nature Wildfacts. Accessed February 09, 2004 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/323.shtml.
- 2003. "Wildlife Database" (On-line). Janmanch. Accessed February 09, 2004 at http://www.janmanch.org/wildlife/kids_w_l.asp?id=65.
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Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Golden langurs are both folivores and frugivores. Their diets consist of ripe and unripe fruits, young and mature leaves, leaf buds, flower buds, seeds, twigs, and flowers. Although they eat a variety of food, they mostly prefer to eat young leaves. The most popular vegetation among golden langurs are Ficus racemosa, Salmalia malabarica, and Adenanthera peuonina. Most langurs, Trachypithecus geei included, are also known as leaf monkeys; a name derived from their exclusively vegetarian diet. Due to the large amounts of leafy material that the golden langurs consume, they have a sacculated stomach, which is a common characteristic in the subfamily Colobinae. A sacculated stomach is made up of different compartments and helps to break down the cellulose in the leaves. It is a very important feature that is necessary to obtain the maximum possible nutrition from innutritious leaves.
Plant Foods: leaves; fruit; flowers
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Frugivore )
- Time Inc. 1965. The Primates. New York: Time Inc..
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Associations
Ecosystem Roles
Due to the lack of research, the role that golden langurs play in the ecosystem is unknown. Researchers do suspect however, that like most primates, they are important for seed dispersal, seed predation, and pollination.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds; pollinates
Species Used as Host:
- Unknown
Mutualist Species:
- Unknown
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
- Unknown
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Predation
Predation by other animals is negligible, most likely due to the highly arboreal lifestyle of golden langurs. Their numbers are mainly threatened by humans through fragmentation and the eventual degradation of their habitats.
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Life History and Behavior
Behavior
Communication and Perception
Again, little is known about the communication between golden langurs. What is certain is that vocal communication does exist between members of the species, including loud “whooping” noises heard from the male langurs.
In spite of a paucity of information on these animals, we can assume that like other primates tactile communication (such as grooming, mating, aggressive behaviors) and visual signals (such as body postures and facial expressions) play some role in communication also.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic
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Life Expectancy
Lifespan/Longevity
Due to their rarity and fairly recent discovery, golden langurs have not been well studied, and as a result little is known about their lifespan.
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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
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Reproduction
Reproduction
Because they have been studied relatiely little, there is little known information on the reproduction of golden langurs. Scientists believe that their reproduction is similar to a close relative of golden langurs, hanuman langurs.
Mating System: cooperative breeder
Although not much is known about the reproduction of golden langurs, it has been observed that births occur almost year-round. There may be a period of a few months where more births are concentrated, corresponding to a change in the climate and vegetation. Golden langurs give birth to a single offspring at a time.
Breeding interval: The breeding interval is unknown.
Breeding season: The breeding season is year-round.
Range number of offspring: 1 (high) .
Average number of offspring: 1.
Key Reproductive Features: year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous
Average number of offspring: 1.
While parental care of the offspring has not been observed for golden langurs, it is presumed to be similar to that of hanuman langurs. In this species, all of the care for the young is provided by the mother and other females in the group. The father has no contact with his offspring.
Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); extended period of juvenile learning
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Justification
History
- 2004Endangered
- 2000Endangered
- 1996Data Deficient
- 1994Rare(Groombridge 1994)
- 1990Rare(IUCN 1990)
- 1988Rare(IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
- 1986Rare(IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
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Conservation Status
Golden langurs as a species are in trouble, and this is reflected by their status on various environmental lists. In 2003, they were considered engendered by the IUCN Red List, and listed as Appendix I on the CITES website. They were first listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List in 1976. In the Indo-US Primate Project Survey, which looked at the species from 1994 to 1999, they were listed as critically endangered.
The main reason for low numbers of golden langurs is because of their localized habitat and the rapid loss of this habitat due to deforestation. Although the forests are supposedly protected, until recently their protection was not strictly enforced and it is estimated that approximately 50% of their habitat was lost from India in a span of 10 to 12 years. In 1998, approximately 4,500 golden langurs remained in both Assam and Bhutan. In spite of the need for immediate action, it was reported that the area the species inhabited shrunk again from 1998 to 2002.
Although at current rates of decline, the survival of these animals seems bleak, there has been some efforts to save them. Almost all of the land they occupy in Bhutan is part of four different wildlife preserves and national parks that have been set up to protect them. The Royal Manas National Park, Black Mountain National Park, Trumsingla Wildlife Sanctuary and Phipsoo WLS are home to more than half of the total number of golden langurs living today. While this is good news, in India, only approximately 95 square km of their habitat is protected by the two WLS in Assam: the Manas WLS and Chakrasilla WLS. Most of the golden langurs' habitat falls into forest reserves and proposed forest reserves or other fragmented areas where many trees have been cut down. In the past these areas were not well protected but certain conservation groups, along with the Indo-US Primate Project are working together to assure the future of these forests. Aside from protecting the forest reserves, they are also working with local residents to rebuild the forests. With all this work being done to save golden langurs, hopefully their populations will grow.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: endangered
- 2004. "CITES-listed species database" (On-line). Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Accessed February 09, 2004 at http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. 2003. "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species" (On-line). Accessed February 09, 2004 at http://www.redlist.org.
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Status: Endangered
Date Listed: 06/14/1976
Lead Region: Foreign (Region 10)
Where Listed:
Population detail:
Population location: entire
Listing status: E
For most current information and documents related to the conservation status and management of Trachypithecus geei, see its USFWS Species Profile
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Status
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Trends
Population
The population has declined by more than 30% in the last 30 years, and is expected to decline further in the near future due to various threats outlined by field biologists in both India and Bhutan (Molur et al. 2003).
Population Trend
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Threats
Threats
Molur et al. (2003) list the following threats for this species: “Crop plantations, grazing, harvesting non-woody vegetation for firewood and charcoal production, selective logging, timber collection, human settlement, deforestation, fragmentation, trade, killed by domestic dogs, habitat loss, high juvenile mortality, inbreeding, and local trade in live animals as pets and in road shows. Trade is insignificant.” Due to road construction and other human activities (settlements), the northern and southern populations are completely separated and this has led to loss of suitable habitats and fragmentation (J. Das pers. comm.). There are potential threats to the population in the near future in India due to mustard cultivation and other human activities, and therefore the population is also expected to decline (J. Das pers. comm.).
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Threats
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Management
Conservation Actions
In Bhutan this species is found in Black Mountains National Park (Srivastava et al. 2001), Pipsu Wildlife Sanctuary, Royal Manas National Park and Trumshingla National Park (Molur et al. 2003).
Molur et al. (2003) list the following research actions needed for the conservation of this species: taxonomy, survey studies, limiting factor research, and habitat fragmentation. The following management actions are needed: habitat management, wild population management, monitoring, public education, and Population and Habitat Viability Assessment.
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Conservation
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Although the limited contact between humans and golden langurs restricts the amount of information available on their economic importance, the continued destruction of their habitat may lead to more encounters. In areas where their habitat is being destroyed golden langurs may be forced to move to unfamiliar places, resulting in the destruction of crops as they search for food.
Negative Impacts: crop pest
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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Because golden langurs tend to avoid human contact, little is known about the economic importance they provide for humans.
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Wikipedia
Gee's golden langur
Gee's golden langur (Trachypithecus geei), or simply the golden langur, is an Old World monkey found in a small region of western Assam, India[3][4] and in the neighboring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan.[5][6] It is one of the most endangered primate species of India.[6] Long considered sacred by many Himalayan people, the Golden Langur was first brought to the attention of science by the naturalist E. P. Gee in the 1950s.[7] In a part of Bhutan, it has hybridised with the Capped Langur T. pileatus.[8]
Contents |
Description
Golden langur is known for its rich golden to bright creamish hair, a black face and a very long tail measuring up to 50 centimetres (20 in) in length. For the most part, the langur is confined to high trees where its long tail serves as a balancer when it leaps across branches. During the rainy season it obtains water from dew and rain drenched leaves. Its diet is herbivorous, consisting of ripe and unripe fruits, mature and young leaves, seeds, buds and flowers.
Distribution
The regions of its distribution are very small; the main region is limited to an area approximately 60 miles square bounded on the south by the Brahmaputra river, on the east by the Manas river, on the west by the Sankosh river, all in Assam, India, and on the north by the Black Mountains of Bhutan.[6] These biogeographical barriers are believed to have led to the radiation of species from the closely related Capped Langur (Trachypithecus pileatus).[9] The best range maps so far are Choudhury (2002)[10] and Choudhury (2008)[8]
Gee's golden langur is currently endangered; a total Indian population in 2001 of 1,064 individuals, in 130 groups, was recorded. Of these, approximately 60% were adults indicating a relative lack of infants and juveniles.[6] The relative dearth of infants and juveniles indicate a declining population and with the habitat being degraded by human activity. A fragmented but protected population in a rubber plantation in Nayakgaon, Kokrajhar district of Assam increased in population from 38 individuals in 1997 to 52 in 2002. The population has also adapted to feeding on dry rubber seeds.[11]
The smallest golden langur troop was composed of four individuals, while the largest had 22, giving an average value of 8.2 individuals per troop.[6] The adult gender ratio was 2.3 females to every male, although the majority of groups had only one adult male.[6]
Behavior
It generally lives in troops of about 8 (but sometimes up to 50) with several females to each adult male.
Conservation
In 1988, two captive groups of golden langurs were released into two protected areas of the western region of the state of Tripura, India. As of 2000, one of these groups, consisting of six (and possibly eight) individuals in the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, had survived.[12]
Taxonomy
 | Wikispecies has information related to: Gee's Golden Langur |
There are believed to be two subspecies of this lutung:[1]
- Trachypithecus geei geei
- Trachypithecus geei bhutanensis
References
- ^ a b Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 176. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100716.
- ^ Das, J., Medhi, R. & Molur, S. (2008). Trachypithecus geei. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 4 January 2009.
- ^ Choudhury, A.U. (1988). Priority ratings for conservation of Indian primates. Oryx 22: 89-94.
- ^ Choudhury, A.U. (1988). Conservation in Manas Tiger Reserve. Tigerpaper 15(2): 23-27.
- ^ Choudhury, A.U. (1990). Primates in Bhutan. Oryx 24: 125.
- ^ a b c d e f Srivastava, A.; Biswas, J.; Das, J.; Bujarbarua, P. (2001), "Status and Distribution of Golden Langurs (Trachypithecus geei) in Assam, India", American Journal of Primatology 55 (1): 15–23, doi:10.1002/ajp.1035
- ^ Gee, E. P. (1961). "The distribution and feeding habit of golden langur, Presbytis geei (Khajuria, 1956)". J. Bombay Nat. His. Soc 53: 252–254.
- ^ a b Choudhury, A.U. (2008). Primates of Bhutan and observations of hybrid langurs. Primate Conservation 23: 65-73.
- ^ Wangchuk, Tashi; Inouye, David W.; Hare, Matthew P (2008). "The Emergence of an Endangered Species: Evolution and Phylogeny of the Trachypithecus geei of Bhutan". International Journal of Primatology 29 (3): 565–582.
- ^ Choudhury, A.U. (2002). S.O.S. golden langur. The Rhino Found. NE India Newsletter 4:24-25.
- ^ Rekha Medhi, Dilip Chetry, P. C. Bhattacharjee and B. N. Patiri (2004). "Status of Trachypithecus geei in a Rubber Plantation in Western Assam, India". International Journal of Primatology 25 (6): 1331–1337.
- ^ Gupta A, Chivers DJ (2000). "Feeding ecology and conservation of golden langur Trachypithecus geei Khajuria in Tripura, Northeast India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 97 (3): 349–362.
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