The document summarizes information about the golden langur (Trachypithecus geei), including its physical characteristics, habitat range, population status, threats, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation efforts. It was discovered in 1954 in India and Bhutan. Currently found only in small forests in Assam, India and Bhutan, its population has declined to around 2,500 due to habitat loss and degradation. The golden langur is listed as endangered by IUCN and protected under wildlife laws in India and Bhutan.

1. Ecology of
Trachypithecus geei
(Golden Langur) and its Conservation
Strategy
By-
Mettle Brahma
Roll No: 17MZ0013

2. Introduction
• The golden Langur is one of the rarest
primates of south Asia.
• Their hair ranges from dark golden to
creamy buff and their faces are black and
hairless except for a long pale beard.
• Changes colours according to the
seasons. In the winter it is dark golden
chestnut and in the summer it is more
cream coloured.

3. Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Primate
Family : Cercopithecidae
Sub family: Colobinae
Genus : Trachypithecus
Species : geei
Scientific Name: Trachypithecus geei

4. Discovery of Golden Langur
• E.P. Gee discovered golden langur in 1954.
• It was first introduced through the book “THE
WILD LIFE OF INDIA”
• In 2003, they were considered endangered by the
IUCN Red list, it is listed in Appendix 1 on the
CITES website.

5. Fig: Distribution of Golden langur in India and Bhutan
Distribution
Range of Golden Langur

6. Distribution In India
Fig : Current and past distribution of golden langur in Assam, India

7. Habitat Range
• It is found only in small pocket of forests of north-western Assam,
India and south central Bhutan at the indo Bhutan border.
• It is distributes in India between the rivers Manas in the east,
Sankosh in the west and Brahmaputra in the south.
• Range Elevation: May occur, 0 to 3000m
• Habitat range: Temperate, tropical; terrestrial
• Population Status: About 3000 species were recorded in between
the year 2011. Recently no census is carried out, but last data
recorded was about 2,500 species in India.

8. Graphical Representation of Population size
Size
Source: Internet

9. Major Threats
• Habitat destruction is the major
threat to this species in India.
• Illegal immigrants, illegal Arms
and communal clash.
• They get electrocution from power
lines and hunt by dogs are local
threats.
• Illegal encroachment and
woodcutting, noise pollution.
Natural Disaster.

10. Food habitat
• It is leaf-eating, arboreal, canopy- dwelling langur endemic to India and
Bhutan. They mostly feed on Cryptocoryne retrospiralis.
• Due to the large amounts of leafy material that the golden langurs consume,
they have a sacculated stomach, which is a common characteristic in the
subfamily Colobinae.
• They are recently seen consuming insects in extreme condition.
• It was found to have a diet consisting of 74% leaves, 9% fruits, and 5% flowers.
Fig: Golden langur searcing for food in water body Fig: Cryptocoryne retrospiralis

11. Daily Activity
A group introduced on to Umananda Island in the river Brahmaputra had a
daily activity budget of spending 30% of the time feeding, 41% of the time
resting, 19% of the time moving, and 6% of the time grooming

12. Reproduction
• Sexual dimorphism is seen, Males are larger,
ornamentation
The tail has a tassel on the end and is notably larger in
males
than in females.
• Sexual maturity:- Males: 5-7 yrs; females: 4 yrs
• Gestation Period: 168-180 days
• Life span: 26 yrs
• Births takes place during the month January to June
• Golden langur give birth to single offspring at a time.
• In an area of Bhutan, it is hybridised with the capped
langur.

13. Parental Care of Golden Langur
• Parental care of the offspring is
provided by the mother and other
closely relative females in the
group.
• Young offspring are taken care for
3-5 weeks.
• The father has no contact with
his offspring.
Pic: Mother holding its offspring

14. Communication and calls by Golden langur
• Communication: Facial
expression, body
postures, and gestures
are all forms of non-vocal
communication among
T. geei and are
important in interactions
between individuals at
short distances.

15. Alarm Calls by Golden Langurs
• Calls: Three types of Calls are emitted by Golden langurs for
defence
1. Alarm Call: Males emits sound with closed mouth in low
pitch vocalization -’Nauk-Nauk....’
2. Barking Alarm Call: Adult Males emits sound with open
mouth with high pitch- aeke-ke-aeke-ke.
3. Infant Speech: This sounds are produced by infants, when
they feel they are in danger. --geckers

16. Conservation Status
• IUCN Red List: Endangered(2008)
• CITES Listing: Appendix 1(2011)
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule 1
• Protected Areas: Manas National Park; Chakrashila Wildlife
Sanctuary; Ripu-Chirang reserve forests, Peacock Island
• The Golden Langur Conservation Project (1998):The project
worked with regional N.G.O. and government agencies using
the following tools to effect conservation contagion:
1) community meetings and involving villages in forest
committees and “Self Help Groups” for economic development;
2) formal seminars and celebratory events for the creation
of the Manas Biosphere Reserve.

17. Ecological benefits
• The spreading the seeds of plants
and fruits they digested to different
locations.
• Golden Langur species is an icon
for the people of Assam and
Bhutan.
• The Golden Langur draws many
tourists and environmentalists
curious to learn about this
wondrous creature.

18. Closely Related Species
Fig: Grey Langur, Golden Langur and Capped Langur in order from left to right

19. Geographical Barriers
• Manas River acts as the
Zoogeographic barrier between the
two country Bhutan and India.
• The Brahmaputra river, Sankosh
river keep isolate them from other
langurs.
• The Three langurs: Trachypithecus
geei; Trachypithecus pilatus;
Semnopithecus entellus, they are
allopatrically Distributed in India
and Bhutan.

20. Choudhury, A. (1988a). Priority ratings for conservation of Indian primates. Oryx 22(2), 89-94.
Choudhury, A.U. (1988b). Conservation in Manas Tiger Reserve. Tiger paper 15(2), 23-27.
Choudhury, A.U. (1990). Primates in Bhutan. Oryx, 24, 125.
Choudhury, A.U. (1992). Golden Langur-distribution confusion. Oryx, 26 (3), 172-173.
Gee, E.P. (1964). The Wild Life of India. Harper Collins, London: Fontana. 224pp.
Ghosh, A.K., & Biswas, S. (1976). A note on ecology of the Golden Langur (Presbytis geei
Khajuria). Journal of Bombay Natural History Society 72(4), 524-528.
Gupta, A.K. (2000). Primates of Tripura. Forest Department, Government of Tripura, Agartala.
40pp
Mukherjee, R.P., and Southwick, C.H. (1996-97). Present Status of the Golden Langur in
Assam, India. Asian Primates 6(3 &4), 1-4.
Raj, M. (2012). Wildlife Ecology and Management. Assam Book Depot, 146-152.