Two of the dwindling population of a critically endangered monkey has been run over along an expressway recently.
A Raffles’ banded langurs community on Facebook announced last night that the two langurs fell victim to roadkill along the Seletar Expressway. Another is still on the loose and could be at risk of being hit around the area.
Both male langurs were found dead on Monday and Tuesday and were taken to Mandai Wildlife Group’s Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre for post-mortems.
This brings the population down to 73.
“If you are driving on [Seletar Expressway] towards Woodlands, which is after the Lentor entrance and before the Upper Thomson exit, please be mindful and alert the [Land Transport Authority] or NParks should you see a stranded animal,” the community wrote.
The Raffles’ banded langur aka the Presbytis femoralis has been declared a critically endangered species in Singapore and Malaysia in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
Primatologist and Chairman of the Raffles’ Banded Langur Working Group Andie Ang told The Straits Times that the decreasing population of langurs is “concerning” as their gene pool gets even smaller than it already is which results in more inbreeding that would lead to diseases and genetic disorders.
She theorized that the two langurs were trying to cross the expressway to search for female counterparts to mate with.
“I hope anyone driving in the area, which is after the Lentor entrance and before the Upper Thomson exit, can be a bit more mindful and alert the LTA or NParks should they see a stranded animal,” Ang said.
Five langurs have been reported as roadkill since 2011.
In July, a distressed Raffles’ banded langur was rescued from a canal in Yio Chu Kang.
If you spot one in need of help, contact NParks’ 24-hour line at 1800-476-1600.
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