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Tonkin's
Snub-Nosed Monkey
Photo
credit: L. QUYET - FFI
I remember first seeing a picture of a
Tonkin's Snub-Nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus
avunculus) on the Internet while looking
for a primate I never heard of before to
research for university. When I opened a web
link, a stunning, most unique primate
appeared on the screen before me. The
curious aesthetics of the Tonkin's
Snub-Nosed monkey include clown-like color
markings and slender limbs, making them one
of my favorite Asian primates.
The Tonkin's Snub-Nosed monkey was first
described in 1947 and then thought to be
extinct until it was rediscovered in 1989.
The Tonkin's Snub-Nosed is endemic to
Northern Vietnam.
These wonderful primates are large
colobine* monkeys of the genus
Rhinopithecus, which is characterized by
an upturned nose. These uniquely colorful
colobines have a broad flat face, ear
tufts, upturned nose, orange throat patch,
thick bright pink lips and blue rings around
the eyes. Tonkin's Snub-Nosed monkeys live
in one-male/ multi-female groups or all male
bachelor groups. Tonkin's Snub-Nosed
monkeys are arboreal* primates and
spend all of their time in the trees. Their
diets are folivorous* and comprise
mostly of unripe fruits, seeds, leaves, and
bamboo.
Unfortunately, the Tonkin's Snub-Nosed
monkey is one of the most endangered
primates in the world. They are listed as
Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
and CITES Appendix I. Fewer than 250
individuals are thought to remain today.
Major threats to the Tonkin's Snub-Nosed
monkey are due to habitat loss, black market
trade, poaching for food (despite its
claimed foul taste), and traditional
medicines. Because they are so rare,
information on the Tonkin's Snub-Nosed
monkey is sparse and in order to better
understand the behavioral ecology and
biology of them, we need further field
research to ensure that their conservation
is a priority.
To see video of the Tonkin's Snub-Nosed
monkey, check out this
BBC News link.
Take action:
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Spread the word and show photos,
although not all too easy to find
because sightings are so rare, to raise
awareness of this monkey!
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Think global and act local. Take care of
our forests and buy only environmentally
and ethically sourced forest products
from Asia. This includes furniture and
hard woods.
*
What does that mean?
-
Arboreal
- adapted for living and moving about in
trees.
-
Colobine
- is a sub-family of Old World primates.
Colobines found in Asia are split into
two groups, the langurs and odd-nosed.
They are primarily arboreal monkeys with
long tails and diverse fur color
patterns. Most Colobines are exclusive
folivores.
-
Folivore
- is an herbivore that has a specialized
diet of eating leaves.
-
Herbivore
-
an animal that feeds on grass and other
plants.
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