A rare glimpse of the tonkin snub-nosed monkey in Khau Ca forest

Recently, Fauna & Flora International (FFI), in coordination with the Tuyen Quang Provincial Forest Protection Department, Du Gia–Dong Van Karst Plateau National Park, and authorities of Minh Son and Tung Ba communes, surveyed to assess the distribution and estimate the population of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey in the Khau Ca forest area. This survey is carried out every two years to monitor the species’ population.

Khau Ca Forest provides a suitable habitat for the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey.

Khau Ca Forest is recognized as a suitable habitat and an important stronghold for the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, one of the rarest primates in the world. Survey teams spent 10 consecutive days in the forest and detected and monitored two large troops. The first troop was observed to have at least 57 individuals, while the second troop comprised at least 47 individuals, based on direct visual counts.

A significant number of juvenile monkeys were recorded, indicating a stable and positive population development of the species in Khau Ca Forest.

According to assessments, the actual population size of the two troops is likely higher than the numbers recorded, as some individuals remained hidden within the forest canopy and could not be counted. In addition, evidence such as feeding traces and droppings suggests the presence of several smaller troops, although these were not directly observed. The total population of Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys in the area is estimated at around 160 individuals.

Currently, Tuyen Quang is the only province in Vietnam where the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is still confirmed to exist and thrive.

The population of Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys in Du Gia National Park, Tuyen Quang, is estimated at approximately 160 individuals.

According to researchers, this period marks the time when smaller troops begin merging into larger groups. The latest survey recorded approximately 80 percent of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey population in the Khau Ca area.

Conservation efforts for the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey are being intensified by Tuyen Quang Province in cooperation with organizations such as FFI.

Any acts of encroachment, hunting, or harm to this extremely rare species will be strictly dealt with in accordance with the law.

The continued documentation of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey population in Tuyen Quang demonstrates effective habitat protection, contributing significantly to the conservation of biodiversity not only in Vietnam but also worldwide.

Survey officers photograph Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys in the wild.

PV