Asian Leaf-eating Primates as Umbrella Species for Conservation

Southeast Asia is home to some of the most endangered primates in the world. This project is designed to oversee a multi-species, multi-institutional, international effort aimed at understanding the biology of selected species in the wild, as well as improving the captive care of Asian leaf-eating monkeys by understanding more about dietary requirements.

The regional effort will concentrate on five species: golden monkeys, proboscis monkeys, Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, and grey-shaked douc langurs. Building on past work, future plans involve more detailed studies of social relationships, vocal communication, and foraging strategies.

Study of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey began in September 2005 and the primary aim is to examine social interactions and food preferences on a seasonal basis. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is the most endangered of the snub-nosed monkey group, and has been subjected to extensive hunting pressure. The key emphasis for study of this primate species is on connected food preferences to anatomical traits, with one goal of such studies to help in the design of captive enclosures that allow the animals to use the same postures to the extent possible as in the field. Studies of a population of douc langurs residing at the Singapore Zoo are focusing on infant development and health issues. Finally, proboscis monkeys are difficult to study because they reside in dense riverine forest areas. This project is aimed at working in the field to better understand the connection between feeding and ranging behavior, and to use that information to improve captive care.

Under the umbrella of a multi-species, multi-regional project, the Zoological Society of San Diego can assist in habitat conservation of a wide geographic area by focusing on targeted species of nonhuman primates ranging in rapidly disappearing forested areas of Southeast Asia. Habitat conservation of nonhuman primates will indirectly promote the preservation of less picturesque species residing in the same regions and thereby enhance preservation efforts.