Near-Extinct Monkeys Found in Colombian Park

Grounded Monkeys

Photograph courtesy Brent Loken

Several of the "rediscovered" langurs gather at the sepan, including one seen drinking water in the foreground. Spehar and colleagues saw up to 11 langurs at one time—the primates generally live in groups of between 6 and 12 individuals, with just one male per group.

"We still have much work to do to better understand the extent of this population—where else it is found in the region; how large the population is; aspects of its behavior, which have not been comprehensively studied; and, most importantly, we also have to work to make sure that the area in which it is found is protected," Spehar said.

The Wehea Forest is temporarily protected by an indigenous group and the local government, but it's surrounded on almost all sides by logging concessions, she noted.

(See blog post: "Hard-Won Battles Against Illegal Logging are Paying Off.")

Published January 20, 2012