POHD: The Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus)
May 5th, 2010Red-shanked Douc Langur Profile
Age It is known that Red-shanked Douc Langurs live into their late 20s, though maximum life expectancies have not yet been determined.
Body Type: Svelte with long limbs and tails. (Tails are around two feet in length, which is the average length of their bodies from head to rump.) Average females weigh a little less than 20 pounds, and males are slightly heftier at about 25 pounds. RSD Langurs are physically very beautiful, with speckled gray and black coats, chocolate brown and black legs, light orange faces, and red and white genitalia.
Sex Females usually begin reproducing when they are about four years old. Like humans, RSD Langur males mature later than do females, not entering puberty until five years of age. When two adult individuals are interested in each other, they make it highly obvious by moving their eyebrows up and down and shaking their colorful faces at each other in what appears to be the ultimate “come hither” move.
Relationship Status RSD Langurs are polygamous and live in family groups made up of several adult males and females, youngsters of varying age, and infants.
Kiddos After a pregnancy lasting about six months, females birth a single infant, with twins on occasion. Babies are weaned around the age of one, but youngsters remain in their family group until they reach sexual maturity. Raising baby RSDLs can be a group effort, with other adult females, adult males, and juveniles all toting babies around and offering protection.
Political Views Adult males and females are similar in terms of body size, and though confrontations between the sexes are relatively rare, males remain dominant over females. However, females have their own “pecking order” whereby dominant females have first access to the best resources.
Social Life RSD Langur groups can reach sizes of around 40 individuals, though smaller groups of 10-20 are more common. Groups are sometimes found hanging out with Black-shanked Douc Langurs (Pygathrix nigripes) in areas where their territories overlap.
Home Town Found in the high forest canopies of Viet Nam and Laos. RSD Langurs are endangered, due to the destruction of rainforests throughout their natural range, partially due to bombing and the use of defoliants during the Vietnam War. Populations are further threatened by human primates, who hunt langurs as a food source, particularly during holidays such as Tet.
Oogivore type Primarily frugivores/folivores, feeding on the leaves, fruits, flowers, and seeds of around 50 different plant species.
Locomotion Quadrupedal
Interests Impressing all the jungle animals with their incredible leaping ability and putting on their “playface” while having fun. (Playface: closing eyes to expose pale blue eyelids)
