Girl spies rare Raffles’ banded langur (monkey) trapped in drainage canal at Yio Chu Kang

One 13-year-old girl spied a Raffles’ banded langur on July 8, which seemed to be trapped. Ms Julianne Teo saw the langur from a window at her Yio Chu Kang home on Friday morning (July 8), Coconuts reported on July 13.

The primate looked to be in distress as it tried to leave the bottom of a drainage canal between a part of a forest in Lentor and a residential area.

On July 7, Julianne’s mum, Regina, saw a mother and her two langur babies in the same area, and one of the younger langurs had apparently gotten left behind in the drain.

Mrs Teo told Coconuts that she was worried about the young primate since it had nothing to use to climb out the drain, which was three meters deep.

And when she placed a rope over the drain, the primate did not use it either.

After this, Mrs Teo called ACRES, a local animal welfare group, for help.

Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan, who is the organisation’s co-chief executive, along with Tan Hui Min and Aaron Hyberger, who are volunteers with the group, came over.

“The sun was scorching hot and we were informed that the critically endangered primate seemed to be moving slower and getting weaker. We had to act fast,” Mr Balakrishnan is quoted as saying.

The rescuers went into the canal using a ladder and were able to catch the langur with a net.

The young primate was then examined and when determined to be unharmed, was released into the forest on-site, Coconuts reported.

The exact location of the sighting and release of the Raffles’ banded langur has not been disclosed by ACRES, to prevent an influx of photographers and even poachers from flocking to the site.

Mr Hyberger said that immediately after the langur was released, “she took off into the trees and started calling for the others.”

Coconuts added that it is the second time Julianne and her family have seen the langurs this year.

The Raffles’ banded langur, which can only be found in Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia, was listed as critically endangered last year, having been threatened with habitat loss.

There are only around 300 to 400 of the species alive at present, with around 250 to 300 in Malaysia and 60 to 70 in Singapore.

“Loss of habitats due to urban development reduces resources and space for the population to grow. Habitat fragmentation prevents the mixing of langur groups. Road accidents and mortalities happen when langurs attempt to cross roads to get from one forest patch to another. Over time, as the population size becomes smaller, the gene pool of the species decreases, resulting in inbreeding and poor genetic health. A lack of awareness of the existence of the species will also hamper conservation efforts,” reads the website of primatologist Andie Ang, the president of Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore). /TISG

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