Primate Watching
Primatology
Taxonomy & Occurrence
Trachypithecus hatinhensis is a monotypic species (no subspecies). It is found in Khammouane and Savannakhet Provinces in Lao PDR, and Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị Provinces in Vietnam
IUCN Conservation Status
Endangered
The Hatinh Langur is another species of the "limestone langur", a group of leaf monkeys specialised in inhabiting limestone habitats, occurring in northern Vietnam and southern China. Other limestone langurs include Delacour's Langur, François' Langur, White-headed Langur and Cat Ba Langur.
Seeing this Species
Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Quảng Bình Province, Việt Nam
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is about 500 km south of Hanoi. The park borders the Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area in Lao PDR (see below) and is noted for its cave system. In April 2009, the world's largest cave was "discovered" in Phong Nha-Kė Bàng by a team of British cave explorers. The park features an unusually high diversity of mammals, including the giant muntjac, and a high number of primates too!
Ha (2006) offers this account of their distribution across Quảng Bình [1]:
We went to the national park from Hanoi. Sleeping buses depart from Luong Yen Bus Station (Bến xe Lương Yên) and will drop you off at Dong Hoi, the city closest to the national park. Note, it takes approximately 12-14 hours (~$12) to get to Dong Hoi from Hanoi! Train to Dong Hoi is another option, but may not make a lot of difference. Once in Dong Hoi, you would have to find your way to the Dong Hoi bus station, and from there, hop onto a local bus towards Phong Nha town. You may find more information here. Several cheap accommodations are available in Phong Nha town (~$12.50 per night). Motorbike may be a good way to go around the park if you are comfortable riding. Rental of motorbike is available in almost all hotels (~$5 per day).
Tro Moong Ranger Station is a good spot for the Hatinh Langurs. It is about 30 minutes ride from Phong Nha town, and maps are available from most hotels. At the ranger station, there is a newly-built viewing tower which is a great place to view the limestone karsts and to look for the langurs. Note that it is not very easy to spot the langurs (took us three days), and you may need to ride around the park to increase the chances of meeting them!
Probability of success: ◆ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Overlapping species:
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Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides)
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Assam Macaque (Macaca assamensis)
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Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina)
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Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)
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Northern White-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomasus leucogenys)
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Southern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus siki)
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Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis)
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Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus)
Other sites:
Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Lao PDR
Hin Namno translates to "spiky rocks". Here, the topography and geology also feature karst formations. The eastern border of Hin Namno in Lao PDR is the international boundary with Vietnam and is next to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. This complex constitutes one of the largest continuous limestone ecosystems in Southeast Asia.
Overlapping species:
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Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides)
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Assam Macaque (Macaca assamensis)
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Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina)
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Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)
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Southern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae)
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Northern White-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomasus leucogenys)
Local contacts:
Looking for langurs on a motorbike
© Andie Ang
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
© Andie Ang
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
References
[1] Ha N.M., 2006. Some observations on the Hatinh Langur, Trachypithecus laotum hatinhensis (Dao, 1970), in north central Vietnam. Primate Conservation: 149-154.
Page Last Updated: 3 July 2022