There are reportedly more than 150 Hatinh langurs in the karst areas of Tuyen Hoa district at present. (Source: VNA)The Hatinh langur (Trachypithecus Hatinhensis) is listed as a critically endangered primate in the Vietnam Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In Tuyen Hoa district, the species was spotted for the first time in 2012, when there were only 10 individuals living in the Thiet Son karst area. Meanwhile, the 510ha special-use forest for langur conservation in Thach Hoa, Dong Hoa, Thuan Hoa, and Son Hoa commune didn’t have sufficient conditions for setting up a reserve management board, making it difficult to protect the animal comprehensively.
Given this, a management and conservation cooperation model was established on a voluntary basis among the nature conservation team, the local forest protection division, and administrations of the four communes.
Nguyen Van Long, head of the Quang Binh forest protection sub-department, said since 2015, the Centre for Highland Natural Resource Governance (CEGORN) has assisted members of the nature conservation team to improve their capacity, knowledge, roles and stature.
In December 2018, the Quang Binh provincial People’s Committee decided to zone off 509.42ha of special-use forest for Hatinh langur protection. A conservation plan was also developed. As a result, local biodiversity and the area’s ecosystem have been well protected and developed, he noted.
Long cited experts and authorities as saying that there are more than 150 Hatinh langurs in the karst areas of Tuyen Hoa district at present.
At the workshop, CEGORN recommended Quang Binh soon issue an official management plan for the special-use forest for langur conservation, allocate funding for management and protection activities, and help residents near the forest switch to farming perennial plants to improve their livelihoods and expand the biotope for the primate.
Participants also proposed other measures to help protect the Hatinh langur./.
VNA
