Mammals
Douc Langur
Pygathrix nemaeus · also called red-shanked douc, costumed ape
Moving carefully through the rainforest canopy, a douc langur displays a patchwork of grey, black, white, orange, and maroon rarely matched by any other primate, a combination striking enough to have earned the species the nickname “costumed ape.”
Overview
The douc langur, Pygathrix nemaeus, is a Critically Endangered primate native to rainforest habitat across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Its extraordinarily colourful appearance, specialised leaf-digesting stomach, and precarious conservation status make it one of the most visually remarkable and urgently threatened primates in Southeast Asia.
Colour that has made it famous, and vulnerable
The douc langur’s vivid, multicoloured coat has made it one of the most photographed and admired primates in the world, a visibility that stands in stark contrast to a wild population under serious and ongoing pressure from habitat loss and hunting.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a population declining sharply due to habitat loss and hunting across its range in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Douc Langur: common questions
Why is the douc langur nicknamed the costumed ape?
Its unusually vivid, multicoloured combination of grey, black, white, orange, and maroon across its face, limbs, and body gives it an appearance striking enough to earn it the nickname "costumed ape."
What does the douc langur eat?
It is a herbivore feeding mainly on leaves, along with some fruit, flowers, and seeds, digested with the help of a specialised, multi-chambered stomach.
Why is the douc langur considered Critically Endangered?
Its population is declining sharply due to habitat loss and hunting across its native range in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Where is the douc langur found?
It is native to rainforest habitat across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.