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Toi: Female, born June 20, 1997 at San Diego Zoo. She arrived May 13, 2009.
The douc langurs are sensitive, so there is a shade over half of one of their exhibits to give them a bit of privacy. If you don't see them, they may be taking a break behind the shade.
Rare Animal Conservation Center
The douc langur is one of the most colorful of all primate species. Their body is largely gray agouti (each individual hair is gray, black and white). Their thighs are black, but the lower part of their legs from the knees down are reddish orange. They have black hands, feet and shoulders, with a striking white tail, throat and cheeks.
Red-shanked douc langurs can reach 24 years of age in zoos, although a typical lifespan is around 10 years. Very little is known about their lifespan in the wild.
Douc langurs are arboreal and diurnal – which means that they live in the trees and are active during the day. Due to their diet – which consists mainly of leaves – they spend a great deal of their time foraging for food, as well as sitting around digesting their latest meal. They move through the trees on all fours using established pathways. They also jump from place to place by pushing off with their hind legs and landing on their feet. Both males and females may be found in social groups of up to 50, although the species has been so reduced in number that such large groups are uncommon. Being a social primate, they have many ways to communicate with each other using sight, touch and sound. The primary way to reinforce social bonds is by grooming, but they also enjoy playing with each other.
Douc langurs typically have one offspring per year, which are usually born in the spring. Their average gestation period is 177 days, and they sometimes give birth to twins. The baby clings to the mother as soon as it’s born, and is typically carried on her belly. They reach maturity at 4-5 years of age, and both males and females may emigrate from their family group to find mates of their own.
Head and body length is 23 in (58 cm); tail is the same length as the body, and sometimes longer.
Males weigh around 24 lbs (11 kg) while females weigh a few pounds less.
Red-shanked douc langurs are vegetarians. In the wild these animals primarily consume the foliage of a variety of rain forest trees preferring young leaf shoots. At the Zoo, the langurs are offered a base diet of primate biscuit designed specifically for leaf eating primates. The enrichment portion of the diet includes a variety of leafy greens, vegetables and herbs. During the summer, the langurs receive as part of the enrichment portion of the diet a variety of leaves harvested from the Zoo’s browse farm. The leaves are analyzed for nutrient composition and formulated into the diet.
Red-shanked douc langurs are found in the rain forests of Vietnam and Laos.
On the 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the red-shanked douc langur is listed as Endangered.
The Philadelphia Zoo works with partners and colleagues around the world to save wildlife. From South America to Asia to Africa, these projects are conducting research, protecting habitat, educating communities and building capacity. We are proud to support them and the important work they do.
Since 1993, the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (EPRC) in Cuc Phong National Park has been helping to confiscate and subsequently care for illegally held primates and other wildlife in Vietnam.
EPRC works to “reintroduce” confiscated langurs back into the wild whenever possible; using GPS-radio collars to track and monitor the progress of released family groups. The same GPS technology is used by park guards and rangers to more effectively patrol forested areas and record data on wildlife activity.
The Zoo and the Zoo’s Docent Council have been supporting EPRC by recycling cell phones to generate money for the Centre. Cell phone recycling also helps keep toxic phone parts out of landfills and reduces the need for destructive mining for these parts (specifically coltan).
Learn more about the conservation efforts at the Philadelphia Zoo.
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