In Cambodia, the trees are alive with the sounds of monkeys,
according to a recent survey by the Wildlife Conservation
Society (WCS). The report reveals surprisingly large populations
of two globally endangered primates in one of this Southeast
Asian country’s protected areas. Scientists from WCS together
with the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries searched an area of 300 square miles
within the Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area. They counted
42,000 black-shanked doucs and 2,500 yellow-cheeked crested
gibbons. The estimate represents the world’s largest known
populations for both species. The researchers believe total
populations within the 1,150-square-mile landscape surrounding
Seima may be even bigger. The WCS scientists who worked on the
census include Tom Clements, Nut Meng Hor, Men Soriyun, Edward
Pollard, Hannah O’Kelly, and Samantha Strindberg. Prior to this
discovery, the largest known populations of the two primate
species were believed to live in adjac