Rare three-coloured langur spotted with offspring in Sarawak
Senior Sarawak Forestry Department (JHS) researcher, Dr Ahmad Ampeng, said the finding indicates a possible recovery in the population of this highly threatened species, thanks to ongoing conservation efforts.
He praised the Sarawak government's decision to gazette an 845-hectare area in Sungai Selai Inah, Jemoreng, Matu, as a Permanent Forest Reserve, highlighting its ecological importance.
"Previously, we observed that the three‑coloured langur population was growing very slowly,
"However, when camera‑trap footage showed a female langur with her infant, this was a very positive development." he said.
Ahmad explained the difficulty in observing the species directly, as they are highly sensitive to human scent.
To avoid detection, researchers wore the same unlaundered clothing for months and refrained from using any scented products.
"If the expedition lasted three months in the forest, we wore the same clothes for that entire period," he said, adding that the langurs also react to noise, such as camera shutters.
"Even a single camera click can startle them into running away, which is why we installed silent video‑trapping cameras on trees."
The three-coloured langur is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is fully protected under the 1998 Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance.
Previously, the species had only been recorded in the Maludam Forest Reserve in Betong Division in 1832, 192 years ago.
Ahmad and his team from JHS confirmed the langur's reappearance using camera-trap footage gathered during their intensive survey, which began in July 2022.
The remarkable discovery was published on Marc 27h 2024 in the peer-reviewed journal Check List The Journal of Biodiversity Data
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