An ethnoprimatological approach to conserving Sri Lanka's critically endangered western purple-faced langur

摘要

© 2020 Global Wildlife Conservation. All rights reserved.In 2006, the western purple-faced langur (Semnopithecus vetulus nestor) was listed as among the world's 25 most endangered primates. A field survey conducted the following year indicated that its population was threatened by human activities, especially deforestation. To address this threat, meetings were held with the community leaders of Waga, a village in the species' range. They revealed that communities in the area were poor, and that they were not interested in helping to prevent the langur's decline unless they were relieved of their difficulties due to conflicts with the monkeys. Consequently, the SPEARS Foundation, a non-governmental organization committed to wildlife conservation, sponsored a program to enhance people's livelihoods; and thereby alleviate their stress and overcome their lack of interest in protecting the imperiled langur. The benefits people derived from the activities had a remarkable effect on their attitudes towards the langur and the “outsiders,” who were conducting the program. We provide details of the program's activities and describe the long-term commitment of the SPEARS Foundation to help fulfil an official responsibility of the understaffed and underfunded Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). This commitment was useful, but was not without problems. The most valuable lesson learned from it was that the partnership between the SPEARS Foundation and Waga residents could help conserve the langur and other wildlife by enhancing people's livelihoods and promoting environmental awareness. Furthermore, such partnerships could compensate for the difficulties faced by Sri Lanka's government agencies to promote wildlife conservation. We, therefore, urge international agencies to support conservation partnerships between people and private organizations in Sri Lanka. Such partnerships have already shown their effectiveness in promoting wildlife conservation in many other countries.