Gee's Golden Langur - Meet The Endangered
Gee’s Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei)
In the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas swings a magisterial, aureate monkey that has been considered sacred for thousands of years. Divided between India and Bhutan, its realm extends from riverine lowlands to highland peaks. As recently as the 1980s, it was one uninterrupted forest measuring 30,000 sq km (11,583 sq mi).
Golden Langurs live in troops averaging eight in size, typically with only one adult male. They spend almost their entire lives in the high-tree canopy, between 19 and 47 m (62-154 ft) off the ground. Males display a more deeply golden-colored fur than females, particularly in winter when their luster darkens.
A surprisingly positive census in India last year bumped estimates of remaining individuals up to around 12,000. Habitat fragmentation nevertheless remains an existential threat, as roads slice and dice the Golden Langur’s native forests. Electric power lines are also a hazard; the arboreal species can mistake them for tree limbs.
IUCN: Endangered (EN)
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