The Red-Shanked Douc

News- Customs officials at Kempegowda International Airport foiled an attempt to illegally import two critically endangered Red-shanked Doucs into India.

About Red-shanked Douc

The red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) is an Old World monkey known as the ‘Queen of the Primates’ for its highly colourful body and unique appearance.

Distribution:It is native to the forests of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Habitat: 

• They live in evergreen, semi-evergreen, and limestone forests up to 5,200 feet (1,600 m) and spend most of their time in the middle to upper levels of the canopy.
• It is arboreal and diurnal, meaning it lives in trees and is active during the day.

Appearance

Body shape: The red-shanked douc has a grey body, maroon-red lower legs, white forearms, and a long white tail used for balance.

Face: Its face is orange-yellow with light blue eyelids, white whiskers, and a black band across the forehead.

They are sexually dimorphic; that is, their size and appearance vary with their gender.

Males are larger and have white spots on their rump.

Diet:

• It is folivorous and mainly eats young leaves.
• It also and gets all required water from its food.

Behaviour:

• The species lives in peaceful social groups that can split and regroup.
• It communicates through facial expressions, vocal sounds, and body postures.

Conservation Status: It is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Threats: 

• Major threats include hunting for food, traditional medicine, and illegal pet trade.

• Habitat loss and forest fragmentation due to logging, agriculture, and infrastructure development have severely reduced its population.