THIMPHU: Bhutan has launched a BTN120.8 million (US$1.38 million) conservation plan to protect the endangered golden langur, a rare primate revered as sacred in Bhutanese culture but now facing the threat of extinction.
The Golden Langur Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2035), spearheaded by the Department of Forests and Park Services, outlines a decade-long roadmap to halt population decline through science-based research, stronger community involvement and targetted interventions.
Native only to Bhutan and parts of north-east India, the golden langur is found across six Bhutanese districts: Dagana, Tsirang, Sarpang, Zhemgang, Trongsa and Wangdue. Once widespread, its population has plummeted by more than 50 per cent in the past three decades, with only around 2,500 individuals remaining in Bhutan today.
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, the golden langur is locally known as the “sacred monkey” due to its deep spiritual significance in Bhutanese folklore and religion. Beyond its cultural role, it is also a key seed disperser and forest health indicator, supporting the ecosystems that rural communities rely on.
However, its survival is under severe pressure from human-induced threats. Electrocution from uninsulated power lines has emerged as the leading cause of unnatural deaths, followed closely by road accidents along busy highways such as Gelephu–Sarpang and Dakphel–Zhemgang. Stray dog predation is another rising danger, particularly for young langurs.
Between 2013 and 2020, more than 100 golden langurs were recorded dead, nearly half from electrocution and a quarter from vehicle collisions. Conservationists warn that without urgent measures, the decline could become irreversible.
Other threats include habitat loss and fragmentation from infrastructure projects, invasive plant species and forest degradation. In some cases, crop-raiding by displaced langurs has led to retaliatory killings by farmers. Hybridisation with capped langurs, caused by disrupted natural barriers, poses yet another long-term risk to the species’ genetic integrity.
The government’s plan addresses these challenges through four main pillars. The first focuses on reducing mortality by insulating power lines, installing canopy bridges, enforcing speed limits, managing invasive species and restoring degraded forests with food-rich vegetation.
The second pillar expands scientific research, with studies on ecology, movement patterns, zoonotic disease risks and human-langur conflict, all supported by digital monitoring tools.
The third promotes coexistence, including bio-fencing for crops, sterilisation of stray dogs, use of animal-deterrent devices and awareness campaigns through schools, media and local initiatives. The fourth emphasises sustainable livelihoods, encouraging community-based ecotourism through homestays, watchtowers, visitor centres and guided nature trails.
Officials hope that by 2030, deaths from electrocution and road accidents can be cut by half, while habitat resilience and population stability are restored. The plan will be implemented in close collaboration with communities, non-governmental organisations, the Bhutan Power Corporation, the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority and international partners.
While challenges remain – including limited technical expertise, funding gaps and low awareness in rural areas – Bhutan’s conservation authorities stress that protecting the golden langur is not just about saving a species, but also about safeguarding cultural heritage, biodiversity and opportunities for eco-tourism. - Kuensel/ANN
