East Kalimantan Monkey, Species of Origin

An extensive field survey in 2005 failed to find any trace of the species.

A group of researchers working in the jungle in Indonesia managed to reinvent the giant gray monkey (Presbytis thomasi) are extremely rare and is believed to have become extinct. They were surprised to find animals that are far away from areas previously thought to be their home.

To find out, researchers put a camera in the woods Wehea, East side of the island of Borneo in June last year. Initially they target to get a photo of a gray leopard, orangutan, or other animals that live in the region.

Apparently, when the pictures are collected, they instead found a bunch of monkeys who had never seen before.

Since there was never photo documentation of the monkeys, the first challenge to the researchers, said Brent Loken, researchers from Simon Fraser University, Canada, who chaired the study, was to confirm those allegations related to monkeys.

Because, so far, the pictures are just scratch-marks on the museum.

"We were surprised to learn that this monkey is still alive and apparently in Wehea," Loken said, quoted by the Guardian, January 20, 2012.

Previously, the monkeys live in the Northeast region of the island of Borneo, and also in Sumatra, Java, and peninsular Malaysia. A few years ago had raised concerns that the monkeys have become extinct.

Many are still

As is known, the forest where the monkeys lived in was destroyed by fire, illegal logging by humans, as well as conversion of forests to agriculture and mining. An extensive field survey conducted in 2005 failed to find any trace of the species.

"For us, the discovery of these monkeys represent that there are very many species of animals in Indonesia," said Loken. "Very many animals that we do not know their areas and perished quickly. Chances are, many of these animals are immediately entered the stage of extinction, "he said. (VN)

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