The Delacour's langur, or Delacour's lutung, (Trachypithecus delacouri) is a critically endangered species of lutung endemic to northern Vietnam. It is considered to be one of the world's most endangered primate species. It is named for French-American ornithologist Jean Théodore Delacour.

Distribution and Habitat:

Delacour's langur is endemic to Vietnam, where it is found only in an area around 6,000 km² (2,300 sq mi) in the provinces of Ninh Bình, Hà Nam, Hòa Bình, Thanh Hóa, and Hà Tây in the north of the country. The largest surviving population is believed to be in Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Bình, where the monkey inhabits open forest up to elevations of 328 m (1,076 ft), in terrain dominated by limestone karst.

Physical Description:

Delacour's langur is somewhat larger than its two closest relatives, François' langur and the Laotian langur, but in other respects has a similar appearance. Adults measure from 57 to 62 cm in head-body length, with a tail 82 to 88 mm long. Males are heavier than females. The white cheek hairs are also slightly longer than in other black Asian langurs. Newborns differ from adults, being brownish in color, with more white fur on the head. Feet and hands in this species are slim and the thumb is reduced.

Distribution and Habitat:

Delacour's langur is endemic to Vietnam, where it is found only in an area around 6,000 km2 in the provinces of Ninh Bình, Hà Nam, Hòa Bình, Thanh Hóa, and Hà Tây in the north of the country. The largest surviving population is believed to be in Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Bình, where the monkey inhabits open forest up to elevations of 328 m, in terrain dominated by limestone karst

Major Threats:

Classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, the primary threat to the species is hunting for traditional medicine, with loss of forest habitat and the local development of tourism also being a potential risk.

Conservation Status:

This langur is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List 2007, and listed on Appendix II of CITES.

It is believed that only 250-300 individuals are left in the wild and 19 are in captivity.

Four areas where Delacour?s langurs are protected include: Cuc Phuong National Park, Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Hoa Lu Cultural and Historical Site, and the recently-established Van Long Nature Reserve, which is believed to contain the largest remaining population of around 70 individuals. Unfortunately, protected areas often suffer more from poaching than unprotected areas because their dense population of wildlife is seen as more profitable. Thus, conservation groups are working to increase the level of protection and law enforcement within these protected areas. The Van Long Nature Reserve is now well guarded by rangers, largely funded by the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The Pu Luong Nature Reserve also employs a large number of rangers, which are helping to save the small remaining populations.

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