Conservation International discovered the largest known remaining population of northern white-cheeked crested gibbons in thick, mountainous jungle in Pu Mat National Park in Nghe An province in north-central Vietnam near the border with Laos.
The non-profit group said it counted 130 groups, or 455 gibbons, in a survey conducted from 2010 to this year in which it used the species' loud morning calls for identification. Such a number would represent more than two-thirds of the total population of white-cheeked crested gibbons believed to live in Vietnam.
The species - listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world's primary authority on the conservation status of the world's animals and plants - is believed to exist in China, Vietnam and Laos, but the extent of its population is unclear because of a lack of research.
"We don't know how many are left in the world because we don't know that much about the populations in Laos, but there are probably only 10 individuals left in China and less than 200 groups in Vietnam," Ben Rawson, regional primate expert for Conservation International, said by email.
"This is an extraordinarily significant find and underscores the immense importance of protected areas in providing the last refuges for the region's decimated wildlife," Rawson said.
Conservation International said the discovery provided new hope for the survival of northern white-cheeked crested gibbons, but it said more research needs to be done on the primates and their protection be given a high priority to prevent their extinction.
The group said it is worried that roads planned in the area would cut through and fragment the gibbons' habitat and provide access for poachers and illegal loggers.
"The major issue will be the hunting of these gibbons, which were previously protected by the harsh terrain," said Luu Tuong Bach, a consultant to Conservation International who led the field surveys.
"Without direct protection in Pu Mat National Park, it is likely that Vietnam will lose this species in the near future," he said.//DPA
