Short answer
Around 90 langurs remain after decades of hunting pushed the species close to extinction. You are unlikely to see one, but you can support the conservation effort by respecting protected areas and choosing responsible operators.
01A golden-headed cliff dweller
Adults are dark brown to black with a striking golden-yellow head and shoulders. Infants are born bright orange. The langurs live in small family groups on steep karst cliffs, sleeping in caves and crevices and feeding on leaves, shoots and fruit. They are agile climbers and rarely come down to the ground.
02From thousands to dozens
In the 1960s an estimated two to three thousand langurs lived on Cat Ba. Hunting, largely for traditional medicine, together with habitat loss, collapsed the population to roughly 50 animals by around 2000. Groups became isolated on separate cliffs, some made up only of females, unable to breed.
03Slow recovery
A long-running conservation programme, the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project, has worked with the national park and local communities since 2000, funding ranger patrols, monitoring and education. Hunting has largely stopped, protected zones have been created and in some cases individuals were moved to join breeding groups. Counts have risen to around 90 animals in 2024 and 2025, with several births recorded each year.
04Can you see them?
Rarely. Most groups live in places visitors cannot reach, and some areas are closed to boats and climbers to protect them. A few lucky kayakers and climbers spot langurs on cliffs from a distance. If you do, keep quiet, keep your distance and do not use a drone.
05How visitors can help
- Never buy wildlife products or 'monkey balm' type medicines
- Respect closed areas in Lan Ha Bay and the national park
- Choose climbing and kayaking operators that follow the conservation rules
- Do not feed or approach any primates, including macaques
?Questions people ask
How many Cat Ba langurs are left?
Recent counts put the population at around 90 animals, up from about 50 at the start of the century.
Where do Cat Ba langurs live?
Only on Cat Ba Island and nearby islets in the Cat Ba archipelago, mostly on remote limestone cliffs.
Are the monkeys on Monkey Island langurs?
No. Those are macaques, a much more common species that has learned to take food from tourists.