Where did all the TSNM go?
The disappearance of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (TSNM) could have begun as far back as 400 years ago with the coming of the Qing dynasty in China. Translations from old texts of this time referred to ‘odd-nosed animals’ whose ‘bones can be used for medicine, (the) skin is good for making rugs and pincushions’. This was followed in the modern day by encroaching logging from China and Vietnam’s plague of log poaching and un-checked hunting. This has directly affected TSNM in the past with researchers in the Nam trang – Ban Bung area in 1993 (known TSNM habitat) reported large scale log poaching occurrin
g in the forest, with wasteful practices.
The TSNM was originally reported from many locations east of the red river. It is possible that the range of the TSNM extended into the Yunnan province of china at one point with no obvious geographical obstacles. In fact some speculation still exists as to whether remnant groups still exist in remote areas of far south Yunnan. However with the dwindling forests that TSNM need to thrive the population diminished to the point at which it was considered extinct from 1986 to 1991. like the giant panda in China, the TSNM is among the most endangered species in the world.
But! Not all hope is lost! From 2005 to 2010 there was a net increase in Vietnam’s forest coverage of just over 1%. This may seem like an insignificant compensation, but it implies a very important factor in conservation and that is recognition of the importance un-spoiled habitat. Without the willing participation of local people and governments no conservation project can have long-term success.
In 2002 a population was discovered which is now confirmed the largest population of TSNM, in Khau Ca. It is stable and seems to have grown from 60 to 100 in the last 15 years with no immediate threats as with all other populations due to it's remoteness. However the size of the site only 1000ha which will eventually limit the population size. This discovery lead to other surveys in the area which uncovered the second largest known population hidden among incredibly rare magnolias and threatened conifer trees in the Tung Vai Forest, in 2007. The most current estimate is that there are 32-35 monkeys in Tung Vai, but with almost 10000ha of potential habitat and the coming of a new Species and Habitat Conservation Area this population has the potential to become much larger than Khau Ca.
The difficulty with non-human primate conservation is that, like humans they take a long time to raise their young. This means populations need a long time to recover, but it has been done for other species such as the Golden Lion Tamarin in Brazil or Gorillas in Rwanda. The success in Khau Ca from conservation efforts shows that education has had a profound effect in promoting awareness of TSNMs, and the value of it's conservation. This project has also begun to take effect in the Tung Vai commune. The willingness of the local people to participate in the conservation of the TSNM will be an integral part of this project. This is because most local people, especially in remote regions, practice traditional ways to obtain money by selling logs and firewood in the markets, by trading them for other goods and by burning wood for cooking and other energy-related purposes. This in turn puts pressure on the TSNM habitat in the Tung Vai forest, but with a new era in environmental awareness awakening in Vietnam the potential to save the TSNM gets stronger every day.
Next week is the start of the first field observation in the Tung Vai Forest where I will be working with local Vietnamese botanists and guides to collect data on their distribution. Stay tuned for news and photos from the field!
