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Golden langur monkey in a tree

Golden langur

Golden langurs have long been considered sacred by Himalayan peoples. However, they only came to the attention of scientists as a distinct species in the 1950s so little is known about their behaviour. Named after their gorgeously coloured coats, golden langurs spend most of the day in the forest tree tops, rarely descending to the ground. These secretive leaf-eating monkeys are one of India's most endangered primates. They are also found in the foothills of Bhutan's Black Mountains.

Scientific name: Trachypithecus geei

Rank: Species

Common names:

  • Gee's golden langur,
  • Golden leaf monkey

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Distribution

The Golden langur can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, Himalayas, Indian subcontinent. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Golden langur distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Endangered

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Decreasing

Year assessed: 2008

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

Gee's golden langur (Trachypithecus geei), or simply the golden langur, is an Old World monkey found in a small region of western Assam, India and in the neighboring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan. It is one of the most endangered primate species of India. Long considered sacred by many Himalayan people, the golden langur was first brought to the attention of science by the naturalist E. P. Gee in the 1950s. In a part of Bhutan, it has hybridised with the capped langur T. pileatus.

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