" They are arboreal, elusive and shy! Living up on trees in the hilly hills around us, these beautiful primates strive to find a place call home in our urbanized, developed and fragmented environment.... but... wait! What can we do to help? "
 

We Share the Same Neighbourhood

You may never heard of Dusky Langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus) before. Chances are, however, you may know them from their localised names: The lotong, lutong, dusky leaf monkeys and the best of all, spectacled langurs!

If you haven’t met them that much, that’s because they are inherently shy! And also they live in closed primary forests and are natural arboreal animals – Means they live on trees. Their daily food range from some fruits, flowers to young shoots. Their favourite dish, however, is leaves. That makes them folivorous animals!

The dusky langurs play a pivotal role in forest regeneration as an essential seed disperser. In many countries, primates like the dusky langurs are considered part of its natural heritage, with immense biological interest and importance. They can be found from the Southern Burma to Peninsular Malaysia including Penang.

An alpha male dusky langur (left) and an infant langur (right).

We Have Not Been a Very Good Neighbour Though

In fact, we are pretty bad.

The dusky langurs are suffering from habitat loss due to deforestation from Penang’s rapid development. The disappearing natural habitats have driven them to risk venturing into urban areas for food. This often leads to Wildlife-Human Conflict. Needless to say, that does not usually end well for them.

Langurs roadkills has increased due to forest defragmentation

As they are forced to travel between fragmented forests, the dusky langurs expose themselves to road accidents and encounters with other animals - especially humans. Their high demand in the black market made them targets of active illegal poaching and wildlife trade in Malaysia. These lovely creatures are reduced into mere commodities and marketed as exotic animals for pets. To add insult to injury (read: death), poachers will annihilate an entire family group to retrieve a baby langurs. These orphaned babies are often short-lived due to improper care. Feeding is one of them.

Sadly, demand is high on the illegal dusky langur trade

Humans often attempt to feed the monkeys on the street. LPP is currently working to discourage this habit. Feeding on human food may causes serious internal damage as the primates aren’t equipped to digest them. It also alters their behaviour. They will increasingly depend on food hand-outs, transmit disease due to overcrowding behaviour, and increase aggressiveness due to human-primate conflict.

Extending Our Hands to the Langurs

With these threats in mind, the Langur Project Penang (LPP) positions herself as an outreach project under the umbrella of the Malaysian Primatology Society (MPS) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). LPP aims to serve as a platform for environmental research and education for students and the local community. To reach that end, LPP works closely with governmental bodies, educational institutions and non-government organizations in Malaysia. Founded by Joleen Yap, who is now a PhD (zoology) student in USM, she leads a small team of passionate and enthusiastic individuals from different backgrounds. LPP reaches out to people from all ages to educate about the importance of a healthy ecological cycle through fieldwork, citizen science conservation programmes and nature education.

LPP counts members from numerical backgrounds and ethnics!

Building Bridge between Our Worlds

To connect us with the Nature, LPP has been pouring effort into 3 aspects.

1. Research

LPP is currently working on researching the ecology, behaviour and road ecology study of dusky langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus). This research aims to provide data for the development of a sustainable langur conservation plan in Penang. The findings may also applied in other aspects. Some examples are policy making, and environmental awareness for the public.

Our project founder, Joleen, and project assistant, Wen, tracking the langurs on the hills

Observing and collecting data on the langurs' ecology and behaviour

2. Conservation

LPP has the positive support from Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) and various NGOs. Under the department’s supervision, we assist in handling and coordinating Penang’s primate-related issues. Some examples are road kill, wildlife injuries, human-primate conflict. To make meaningful and long-lasting impact, LPP approaches the public and educate the local residents on the importance of forested area.

Handling roadkill incident reported by general public

Investigating the impact of habitat fragmentation toward the movement of wildlife to mitigate human-primate conflict

3. Nature Education

We believe that education is the best tool to create environmental awareness. LPP started the first public primate awareness workshop in September 2016 and received great feedback from the participants. Since then, LPP has been receiving invitation as environmental guest speaker for various institutions. We have been approached by learning institution, educational road shows and booths for other events. Since September 2016, we have conducted more than 40 outreach programmes. LPP is ready to expand the nature education network and coverage to eco-tourism. The education aims to introduce langurs to the people and to highlight the importance of conserving forest for the wildlife, plants, economic prospect and future generation.

We conduct showroads and workshops occasionally in public spaces and institutions

Planting the seeds: educating the young generation on native flora and fauna

We Need Funding For Our Bridge Though

LPP is looking to stepping up her game and amplifying her voice for the dusky langur by working towards a sustainable langur conservation plan in Penang. The measures include increasing involvement in the conservation of the dusky langur’s habitat, continuing to battle the illegal wildlife trade, and remaining a crucial platform for research, conservation and education on the island of Penang.

LPP is currently funded by the Rufford Foundation. However, the grant is only applicable for our road ecology and canopy bridges pilot project to mitigate the impact of habitat fragmentation in Teluk Bahang, Penang.

Where Your Money Goes

• Expanding Our Road Ecology Study in Malaysia

We are looking to expand the road ecology study to different parts of Penang and other states in Malaysia. Our results will be used to advocate for sustainable road development and to raise awareness on a larger scale in Malaysia.

We are currently collaborating with APE Malaysia to construct canopy bridges for arboreal wildlife

• Organizing Educational Programmes for the Locals

LPP is actively involved in nature education targeting local residents where we translate our scientific findings to knowledge. Funding are needed for organizing educational programmes to provide our future generation affordable environmental education. The programmes are easily accessible through social media (videos, films, Vlogs) and live nature education (road shows, talks, events, workshops).

We hope to have more opportunity to educate our future generation

• Sustaining Ecological Study and Research on the Langurs

We are also in need of funding to carry on the ongoing study on the dusky langurs. We monitor their activity pattern, habitat use, diet, population survey of dusky langurs in different environment(s).  This helps determining the impact of human and urban development on the ecology and behaviour of the langurs. The funding also goes to expanding the team, maintenance of equipment such as binoculars and GPSes for fieldwork, tree climbing courses for camera trapping, daily allowance for volunteers’ meals and transportation.

Current on-going research:

1. Activity pattern, habitat use and diet of dusky langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus) in Penang
2. Road ecology and canopy bridges for dusky langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus) and other arboreal wildlife to cope with habitat fragmentation in Penang

We are a group of passionate individuals hope to voice out for the langurs and their habitat. Join us!

Achievement

• Rufford Foundation, Rufford 1st Small Grant (https://www.rufford.org/projects/jo_leen_yap)
• Rufford Foundation, Rufford 2nd Small Grant (https://www.rufford.org/projects/jo_leen_yap_0)

Joleen presenting our effort during SEA Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conference, Phnom Penh 2018

• Manulife Berhad, Manulife #StartNowContest (https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/03/20/pitching-their-dreams-to-start-now-four-malaysians-with-projects-to-inspire-and-educate-people-win-c/

Joleen presenting during the Manulife #StartNow award ceremony

• Featured in one of the Freedom Free Fest’s film (https://freedomfilm.my/fff2017-programme/the-hills-and-the-sea/)

Joleen representing LPP to talk about our effort during Freedom Film Festival 2017

LPP is looking forward to amplifying its voice for the dusky langurs in the coming years: these measures include increasing involvement in the conservation of the dusky langurs habitat, continuing to battle the illegal wildlife trade, and remaining a crucial platform for research, conservation and education on the island of Penang.

This knowledge can be used to effectively work toward a “Langur Conservation Plan”, which takes into account of primate ecology, anthropogenic influences and ecotourism to create an awareness for primate conservation and nature education.

Thanks for your support!

* Primate : Mammals that possess flexible hands and feet with opposable first digits, good eyesight, and, in the higher apes, a highly developed brain: includes lemurs, lorises, monkeys, apes, and man.