Rantau, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Some white-headed langur (lutung dahi putih/Prebytis Frontata), the rare and almost extinct primate, were found in the Mancubung customary forest in Pipitak Jaya village, Piani Sub-district, Tapin, South Kalimantan.
Some young people found them, while they were doing wild photography in the forest.
Read also: SMADA Banjarmasin represent Indonesia to Bangkok Futsal Tournament
"Yes, while we were doing wild photography looking for hornbill ((Bucerotidae), suddenly we found white-headed langurs," said Hendra Gunawan, one of the young people, who is also member of environment organization Forum Komunitas Hijau (FKH) Go Green Bastari, Sunday.
He acknowledged has never seen white-headed langur in this wild area. "At this time this primates begin to extinct as their habitat threatened when many forest have changed their function into palm plantations and minings," he pointed out.
Read also: Tapin Dam construction reaches 95 percent completion
The white-headed langur some call it a beautiful monkey. Some people name it puan (Dayak), perut (Kayan), and jirangan (Banjar dan Serawak). In English the rarest primate called White-headed langur, white-fronted langur, White-faced langur or White-fronted leaf monkey.
Read also: S Kalimantan Forestry closes all routes of illegal logging
"When we found them we only saw two. At first we thought they were usual langur, but as we observe they were white-headed langur. It was a proud for us," he told hoping these primates to be left alone to live in the Mancubung forest.
Chairman of Hornbill-care Society (Maspekong) of Tapin District Noor Aminin, who was with them, was amazed to see the white-headed langur in the wild life.
"It was truely a rare moment, when we observed owa-owa (gibbon) playing in a tree, suddenly in the next tree there were white-headed langur, very amazed," he exclaimed.
In the customary forest of Mancubung, he said, it was still often seen animals those rarely found in the wild life, such as owa-owa, hornbill, and others.
"Hopefully the rest of the existing forest continue to be preserved, especially in the forest where many protected animals are found," he said.
