Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[snowleopard]

No LA Zoo francios langur exhibit?

Good catch @Julio C Castro! I was at Los Angeles Zoo in 2008 and here's my photo labeled Golden Monkey Exhibit:

This empty 2008 exhibit never did get Golden Monkeys from China, but it did receive Francois' Langurs after my visit. However, I did go back to Los Angeles Zoo in 2017 and even though I didn't take any photos of the Francois' Langurs, they definitely would have been there and I'll add them to my list. I just edited them into the original post.

 

[Pertinax]

Good catch @Julio C Castro! I was at Los Angeles Zoo in 2008 and here's my photo labeled Golden Monkey Exhibit:

This empty 2008 exhibit never did get Golden Monkeys from China, but it did receive Francois' Langurs after my visit. However, I did go back to Los Angeles Zoo in 2017 and even though I didn't take any photos of the Francois' Langurs, they definitely would have been there and I'll add them to my list. I just edited them into the original post.

Golden Monkey is one primate I've never seen and never will I'm sure. A great shame they have been so rarely exhibited outside China/Asia.

For a small country, the UK has (more than?) its fair share of Francois Langurs, at 4 zoos.

 

[snowleopard]

The next langur species on my list is the Dusky Leaf Monkey, also called the Spectacled Langur or Spectacled Leaf Monkey. (The number of different names for primates is astonishing).

I've seen the species at 1 Australian zoo, 7 American zoos and only 1 European zoo. A rarity! Most of my sightings occurred in a single summer.

1- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2007
2- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
3- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
4- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
5- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
6- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
7- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2010
8- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2014
9- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Dusky Leaf Monkey – 2019

Dusky Leaf Monkeys are stunning primates, with beautiful eyes. Here's one at Adelaide Zoo (Australia):

@marmolady

This is one of the great Aussie zoo exhibits, with Adelaide Zoo having Malayan Tapirs and Dusky Leaf Monkeys together in an enclosure with an enormous old fig tree. I recall seeing monkeys way up in the canopy when I was there in 2007.

@Swanson02

Tulsa Zoo (USA) had Dusky Leaf Monkeys together with Siamangs in 2010 in a massively overgrown island jungle:

Philadelphia Zoo (USA) had an industrial-style indoor exhibit for Dusky Leaf Monkeys in 2010:

I saw the species SIX times in 2010, but hardly ever again in all my zoo trips. Here's the enclosure for Dusky Leaf Monkeys at Dallas Zoo (USA) in 2010:

One shock was visiting the relatively obscure Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) in 2014 and coming across a small wooden cage for the species:

Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) has kept Dusky Leaf Monkeys for many years:

@Joker1706

Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Francois' Langurs - 17
Bonobos - 14
Dusky Leaf Monkeys - 9
Drills - 8
Geladas - 6

 

[snowleopard]

I've only ever seen Silvery Lutungs, also called Silvered Leaf Monkeys or Silvery Langurs, in 6 zoos. A real trend of this thread, whether it is a macaque, mangabey or langur, is that there is a consistent downward spiral of rare primates in AZA zoos. I know that Knoxville and Minnesota both added this species in recent years, after my visits to those zoos, but there's clearly less than there used to be in North America and there's very few holdings worldwide. At least the 3 zoos (that I have toured) that continue to have the species, do have them in decent numbers and these monkeys are therefore holding on for now.

1- Denver Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
3- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
4- Columbus Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
5- Santa Ana Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2011
6- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2012

* still has species

Denver Zoo's (USA) 1908 Monkey House was home to Silvery Lutungs when I first visited the zoo in 2006. Now these outdoor cages and that particular species are all long gone.

@Baldur

San Diego Zoo (USA) has consistently maintained and bred Silvery Lutungs for many years, and even now they keep the species in this exhibit next to the Orangutan/Siamang complex:

@pachyderm pro

In 2011, San Diego Zoo kept Silvery Lutungs in a different section of the zoo, over by Sun Bear Forest.

Bronx Zoo (USA) has kept a large troop of Silvery Lutungs inside JungleWorld, shown here in this 2011 photo:

@fkalltheway

Different photographer, different year (2012), but the monkeys are huddled on the same exact spot:

@BeardsleyZooFan

Columbus Zoo (USA) has an impressive Asian zone that contains Silvery Lutungs.

@Moebelle

The indoor accommodation in Columbus has a ruined-temple theme. These monkeys must be in shape, with close to 20 stairs in their exhibit. "We're going up, we're going down..."

@Moebelle

The small Santa Ana Zoo (USA), with its numerous primate species, had Silvery Lutungs when I was there in 2011. Now long gone from the collection.

Silvery Lutungs were mixed with Orangutans when I was at ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) in 2012. They left years ago.

@zoo_enthusiast

I also listed Silvery Lutungs, under the name Silvered Leaf Monkey, when I was at Berlin Zoo (Germany) in 2019. In my comprehensive, very detailed review of the zoo, I listed 21 primate species living in a single building at that time. However, I don't see any photos of Silvery Lutungs in the Berlin Zoo gallery. Could I have been mistaken? I also saw Hanuman Langurs that day, and there's clearly no mistaking that striking species. I'm guessing that Berlin did have the species, and other than repeat visits to San Diego Zoo, that's the only time I've seen Silvery Lutungs in the last dozen years.

Edit: @twilighter figured out that there was a German translation error and therefore I saw Javan Lutungs at Berlin Zoo in 2019, not Silvery Lutungs. I never saw Javan Lutungs at any of the 120 zoos/aquariums I visited in Europe during 2019 and 2022.

Here is one last photo, from Nanning Zoo (China), that I'm including because it's a wonderful image showing the contrast between an adult Indo-Chinese Silver Langur and its offspring.

@Himimomi

My Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 Northern White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Francois' Langurs - 17
Bonobos - 14
Dusky Leaf Monkeys - 9
Drills - 8
Geladas - 6
Silvery Lutungs - 6

 

[birdsandbats]

I've only ever seen Silvery Lutungs, also called Silvered Leaf Monkeys or Silvery Langurs, in 7 zoos. A real trend of this thread, whether it is a macaque, mangabey or langur, is that there is a consistent downward spiral of rare primates in AZA zoos. I know that Knoxville and Minnesota both added this species in recent years, after my visits to those zoos, but there's clearly less than there used to be in North America and there's very few holdings worldwide. At least the 3 zoos (that I have toured) that continue to have the species, do have them in decent numbers and these monkeys are therefore holding on for now.

1- Denver Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
3- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
4- Columbus Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2008*
5- Santa Ana Zoo (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2011
6- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Silvery Langur – 2012
7- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Silvery Langur – 2019

* still has species

Denver Zoo's (USA) 1908 Monkey House was home to Silvery Lutungs when I first visited the zoo in 2006. Now these outdoor cages and that particular species are all long gone.

@Baldur

San Diego Zoo (USA) has consistently maintained and bred Silvery Lutungs for many years, and even now they keep the species in this exhibit next to the Orangutan/Siamang complex:

@pachyderm pro

In 2011, San Diego Zoo kept Silvery Lutungs in a different section of the zoo, over by Sun Bear Forest.

Bronx Zoo (USA) has kept a large troop of Silvery Lutungs inside JungleWorld, shown here in this 2011 photo:

@fkalltheway

Different photographer, different year (2012), but the monkeys are huddled on the same exact spot:

@BeardsleyZooFan

Columbus Zoo (USA) has an impressive Asian zone that contains Silvery Lutungs.

@Moebelle

The indoor accommodation in Columbus has a ruined-temple theme. These monkeys must be in shape, with close to 20 stairs in their exhibit. "We're going up, we're going down..."

@Moebelle

The small Santa Ana Zoo (USA), with its numerous primate species, had Silvery Lutungs when I was there in 2011. Now long gone from the collection.

Silvery Lutungs were mixed with Orangutans when I was at ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) in 2012. They left years ago.

@zoo_enthusiast

I also listed Silvery Lutungs, under the name Silvered Leaf Monkey, when I was at Berlin Zoo (Germany) in 2019. In my comprehensive, very detailed review of the zoo, I listed 21 primate species living in a single building at that time. However, I don't see any photos of Silvery Lutungs in the Berlin Zoo gallery. Could I have been mistaken? I also saw Hanuman Langurs that day, and there's clearly no mistaking that striking species. I'm guessing that Berlin did have the species, and other than repeat visits to San Diego Zoo, that's the only time I've seen Silvery Lutungs in the last dozen years.

Here is one last photo, from Nanning Zoo (China), that I'm including because it's a wonderful image showing the contrast between an adult Indo-Chinese Silver Langur and its offspring.

@Himimomi

Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 Northern White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Francois' Langurs - 17
Bonobos - 14
Dusky Leaf Monkeys - 9
Drills - 8
Silvery Lutungs - 7
Geladas - 6

Columbus's temple theme doesn't look very ruined with that railing on the staircase.

 

[Lafone]

Such interesting primates. lots of nice sightings of them too, great reading.

It seems quite unusual in nature to have baby / young animals be such bright colours in such contrast to their parents.

Where nature often looks to create youngsters who are more camouflaged than their parents is there a particular reason these primates (or the other langurs like the Francois) are brightly coloured (or white like young colobus)?

I guess as they don’t put the youngsters down or leave them while they go off to feed (as deer might for example) there’s less need to have the young blend into the background but it’s such a stark difference.

 

[15399]

Such interesting primates. lots of nice sightings of them too, great reading.

It seems quite unusual in nature to have baby / young animals be such bright colours in such contrast to their parents.

Where nature often looks to create youngsters who are more camouflaged than their parents is there a particular reason these primates (or the other langurs like the Francois) are brightly coloured (or white like young colobus)?

I guess as they don’t put the youngsters down or leave them while they go off to feed (as deer might for example) there’s less need to have the young blend into the background but it’s such a stark difference.

Yes, there is a strong adaptive function for the bright coloration of colobine offspring. A lot of the colobines (langurs, colobuses, and a handful of other species) use alloparenting, where all of the females in a troop contribute to parental care, and as a result it's important for for the infants to be easily visible to their actual mothers.

 

[Jana]

Where nature often looks to create youngsters who are more camouflaged than their parents is there a particular reason these primates (or the other langurs like the Francois) are brightly coloured (or white like young colobus)?

Many years ago I ´ve read an article written by a researcher who did field studies of baboon troops (dont remember what species) where youngsters have distincly darker fur than adults or adolescents. And the researcher one day found dead crow and he picked it up. At that moment the whole huge baboon troop started to be aggressive to him - mistaking the crow in his hand for a baby baboon and tried to protect it. He realised his mistake, spread the wings of the crow and showed it to the troop. and the troop stopped all aggressivity and just behaved like nothing happened again. He also wrote that baby baboon, as long as they had dark fur, were outside of troop hierarchy and were allowed to do anything they want including stealing food directly from mouth of dominant males. And a single baby cry for help would alert protective behaviour of all baboons in the troop.

It is possible that distinctive fur color of guereza and langur babies serves similar signal function.

 

[Lafone]

Yes, there is a strong adaptive function for the bright coloration of colobine offspring. A lot of the colobines (langurs, colobuses, and a handful of other species) use alloparenting, where all of the females in a troop contribute to parental care, and as a result it's important for for the infants to be easily visible to their actual mothers.

Thanks! That’s really interesting. Hadn’t realised that at all and now I shall appreciate it so much more when I see the youngsters next.

While one can Google stuff it’s so much more interesting (imho) to learn it like this in context.

 

[Lafone]

Many years ago I ´ve read an article written by a researcher who did field studies of baboon troops (dont remember what species) where youngsters have distincly darker fur than adults or adolescents. And the researcher one day found dead crow and he picked it up. At that moment the whole huge baboon troop started to be aggressive to him - mistaking the crow in his hand for a baby baboon and tried to protect it. He realised his mistake, spread the wings of the crow and showed it to the troop. and the troop stopped all aggressivity and just behaved like nothing happened again. He also wrote that baby baboon, as long as they had dark fur, were outside of troop hierarchy and were allowed to do anything they want including stealing food directly from mouth of dominant males. And a single baby cry for help would alert protective behaviour of all baboons in the troop.

It is possible that distinctive fur color of guereza and langur babies serves similar signal function.

Fascinating how the social dynamics work.

 

[twilighter]

The animals that you saw at Berlin zoo were Javan Lutungs, wrongly translated in English as Silvered Leaf Monkeys. They left the zoo already. Those are pictures from 2020.

 

[snowleopard]

The animals that you saw at Berlin zoo were Javan Lutungs, wrongly translated in English as Silvered Leaf Monkeys. They left the zoo already. Those are pictures from 2020.
View attachment 685525
View attachment 685526

So, it was a German translation issue. Aha! That explains everything. I'm much obliged to you @twilighter for pointing that out, as I was skeptical about the species that I saw. I can edit my stats now.

 

[snowleopard]

East Javan Langurs, also called Javan Lutungs, Ebony Lutungs or Javan Langurs, are yet another primate rarity in North American zoos and I've only ever seen them in 8 zoos.

1- Bronx Zoo (USA) – East Javan Langur – 2008
2- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – East Javan Langur – 2008
3- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – East Javan Langur – 2014
4- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – East Javan Langur – 2019
5- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – East Javan Langur – 2019
6- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – East Javan Langur – 2019
7- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – East Javan Langur – 2019
8- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – East Javan Langur – 2022

Bronx Zoo (USA) has long held the species and has been the epicenter of East Javan Langurs in North America for decades, although the last I heard was that their numbers had severely dwindled. These monkeys are still found inside the JungleWorld building within an exhibit that at one time held Proboscis Monkeys!

@Dhole dude

@Andrew_NZP

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) had East Javan Langurs in with Malayan Tapirs many moons ago. I think these primates rotated with Francois' Langurs and here's a photo from 2010:

@Baldur

The privately-owned, non-AZA accredited Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) had East Javan Langurs when I was there in 2014. It was a genuine shock to see them because at that time I had assumed that only Bronx Zoo had the species anywhere in North America.

And, like several other primate species, the babies look radically different from their parents:

Photos from @Ituri

In North America, this is yet another example of a rare primate species seemingly on its last legs. Bronx's population has plummeted, but if I'm not mistaken it was Tanganyika that imported a group from Europe to keep the species alive in the USA. Since then, East Javan Langurs have popped up at non-AZA accredited facilities such as Michigan's Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (they got them after my 2018 visit) and even New York's The Wild Animal Park. Will the species hang in there for a few more years or will there be another import in the future? Only time will tell.

I then saw East Javan Langurs on 5 occasions in Europe, where they are much more common in comparison to North American zoos. Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) had the species in their old-fashioned Monkey House, which is arguably the low point of the zoo because most of the primates do not have access to an outdoor exhibit. I was there in 2019 and saw the langurs, but the most recent ZooChat photos of these primates are from that year and so it would be intriguing to know if the zoo still has these monkeys in their collection. Here's the ruined temple themed indoor area, which does have a lot of climbing opportunities and a nice layer of mulch on the floor:

Cologne Zoo (Germany) had a single East Javan Langur paired with a Red-shanked Douc Langur (!!) when I visited in 2019. They were like two living museum artifacts.

@Joker1706

Of course, Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) has East Javan Langurs, as we'd all be disappointed if they didn't!

@twilighter

@Dianamonkey

Berlin Zoo (Germany) had East Javan Langurs in 2019 inside their cavernous Primate House, and I also saw the species at Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) in 2022. There's a sprawling series of primate exhibits in the zoo's Asian zone that opened in 2020, with Bornean Orangutans and East Javan Langurs together in one of the habitats. In a city of not much more than 100,000 people, this zoo receives a million annual visitors.

My Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 Northern White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Francois' Langurs - 17
Bonobos - 14
Dusky Leaf Monkeys - 9
Drills - 8
East Javan Langurs - 8
Geladas - 6
Silvery Lutungs - 6

 

[15399]

Bronx Zoo (USA) has long held the species and has been the epicenter of East Javan Langurs in North America for decades, although the last I heard was that their numbers had severely dwindled. These monkeys are still found inside the JungleWorld building within an exhibit that at one time held Proboscis Monkeys!

Indeed, Bronx is down to only two Javan langurs. It will be very interesting to see what the future of that space is, as it's a fairly respectable habitat for an Asian monkey, but Asian monkeys aren't exactly the most common sights in zoos these days.

Bronx's population has plummeted, but if I'm not mistaken it was Tanganyika that imported a group from Europe to keep the species alive in the USA. Since then, East Javan Langurs have popped up at non-AZA accredited facilities such as Michigan's Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (they got them after my 2018 visit) and even New York's The Wild Animal Park. Will the species hang in there for a few more years or will there be another import in the future? Only time will tell.

Yeah, it does appear this is a species gaining traction in non-AZA places. While I'd rather it be AZA places, I am glad that some interest appears to exist for these guys, as within the AZA langurs as a whole aren't too common, with only a handful of silvered leaf langur holders and sixteen zoos with Francois'.

 

[snowleopard]

I'm a big fan of seeing Hanuman Langurs, with their jet black faces and grey/white hair, along with their gangly limbs and incredibly lengthy tails. I've only ever seen this species at 6 zoos.

1- Chattanooga Zoo (USA) – Hanuman Langur – 2010
2- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Hanuman Langur – 2010
3- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Hanuman Langur – 2019
4- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – Hanuman Langur – 2019
5- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Hanuman Langur – 2019
6- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Hanuman Langur – 2019

The relatively obscure Chattanooga Zoo (USA), in southern Tennessee, had Hanuman Langurs when I was there in 2010.

In that same summer, I also saw the species at Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA). Little did I know that I'd never come across Hanuman Langurs again for almost a decade, and the species is now extinct in North American zoos. Both Chattanooga and Hogle replaced their Hanumans with the AZA-approved Francois' Langurs, the one and only langur species that is doing well in North American zoos. Fellow zoo nerds: do you like primate diversity? Then head to European and Asian zoos!

I then saw Hanuman Langurs at 4 zoos in a month on my European trek in the summer of 2019. The species is doing fairly well there and currently resides in approximately 20 zoos across the continent.

ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) has Hanuman Langurs, Sumatran Orangutans and Small-clawed Otters all together in the same exhibit.

There are two outdoor islands and a large indoor complex:

@FunkyGibbon

The Hanuman Langur exhibit at Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) is extraordinary because it's a walk-through habitat. Visitors are in with the primates, and there's a long, covered boardwalk that has a roof that creates some resounding echoes because when I was there in 2019 the langurs were jumping around on top of the structure and it was exhilarating to see them so close.

@EmperorTamarin

There's even a sign warning visitors not to pull on the tails of the monkeys, and here's a photo that shows two Hanuman Langurs and it would be interesting to know if anyone attempts to grab the tail of one of these large primates. I'm sure they would turn from harmless to ferocious in a second if that happened!

Two photos by @Mr Gharial

Berlin Zoo (Germany) also had the species in 2019, with this 2012 photo showing off the classic green tiles of that zoo's Monkey House.

@Tamandua

Here's a 2023 image of where the langurs are kept in Berlin. You can see some monkeys and green tiles at the very back of the exhibit.

@Green_mamba

Lastly, the 6th and final time I saw the species was at Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany). Does the whole 'ruined temple' theme ever really work in zoos? I'd love to know. The style is grating on the nerves of many zoo nerds and it seems that the animals are always props for whatever stylish Asian architecture has been constructed. The langurs have a very small space in Hannover, with little in the way of either height or climbing opportunities.

@RonBurrgundy

Here's a langur at Hannover hanging around on a chandelier!

@ThylacineAlive

It's really too bad, as they are sensational animals in appearance. Here's a more dignified pose from a Hanuman Langur at Hannover:

@Daniel Sörensen

My Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 Northern White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Langurs - 48 zoos (6 species: 17 Francois', 9 Dusky Leaf, 8 East Javan, 6 Hanuman, 6 Silvery Lutung, 2 Red-shanked Douc)

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Bonobos - 14
Drills - 8
Geladas - 6

Next: A short post featuring Red-shanked Douc Langurs.

 

[snowleopard]

I have seen Red-shanked Douc Langurs at only two zoos:

1- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Red-shanked Douc Langur – 2010
2- Cologne Zoo (Germany) - Red-shanked Douc Langur – 2019

Philadelphia Zoo (USA) had 2 or 3 of the monkeys when I was there in 2010:

Cologne Zoo (Germany) had a single specimen in 2019 and it was the very last one in Europe apart from some Douc Langurs at Chleby Zoo (Czechia). Thanks @Arek ! Here's a portrait from 2014:

@Tomek

Here's my photo from 2019. He died 3 months after I uploaded this image onto ZooChat.

My Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos and 192 exhibits (9 species: 64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 Northern White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos having multiple species)

Elephants - 104 zoos (61 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Macaques - 80 zoos and 113 exhibits (12 species: 25 Lion-tailed, 23 Japanese, 16 Barbary, 13 Sulawesi Crested, 10 Pig-tailed, 9 Rhesus, 7 Crab-eating, 4 Bonnet, 2 Stump-tailed, 2 Toque, 1 Booted, 1 Tonkean, including some zoos with multiple species)

Gorillas - 74 (including 1 Eastern Lowland Gorilla at Antwerp Zoo in 2019)
Orangutans - 74

Capuchins - 71 zoos and 81 exhibits (7 species: 44 Tufted, 19 White-faced, 9 Golden-bellied, 5 White-fronted, 2 Crested, 1 Hooded, 1 Wedge-capped, with 10 zoos having two species)

Chimpanzees - 64

Langurs - 48 zoos (6 species: 17 Francois', 9 Dusky Leaf, 8 East Javan, 6 Hanuman, 6 Silvery Lutung, 2 Red-shanked Douc)

Baboons - 41 zoos and 49 exhibits (4 species: 31 Hamadryas, 11 Olive, 6 Guinea, 1 Yellow, with some zoos having multiple species)

Mandrills - 41

Mangabeys - 30 zoos (5 species: 11 Red-capped, 9 Black Crested, 6 Golden-bellied, 3 White-naped, 1 Sooty)

Bonobos - 14
Drills - 8
Geladas - 6

 

[Mr Gharial]

There's even a sign warning visitors not to pull on the tails of the monkeys, and here's a photo that shows two Hanuman Langurs and it would be interesting to know if anyone attempts to grab the tail of one of these large primates. I'm sure they would turn from harmless to ferocious in a second if that happened!

I'm tall even for the Dutch and I don't think I could reach the tails even if I wanted to so I think it's more of a precaution to keep people from jumping up and trying

Here's a friend of mine in the same enclosure
(but to be fair she's a head shorter than me):

 

[15399]

Does the whole 'ruined temple' theme ever really work in zoos? I'd love to know. The style is grating on the nerves of many zoo nerds and it seems that the animals are always props for whatever stylish Asian architecture has been constructed. The langurs have a very small space in Hannover, with little in the way of either height or climbing opportunities.

@RonBurrgundy

While temple theming overall is certainly not popular on here, I do think there are places that temple theming works significantly better than others. The first one that comes to mind (and one of the few temple exhibits I've seen) is Disney's Animal Kingdom's Mahajarah Jungle Trek, which manages to work in the temple-theming in a way that enhances, not detracts from, the animals. Although, being DAK, unfortunately there is a lack of signage as a result of going "all-in" on the theming. Granted, I suspect part of DAK's success is that, with the exception of the tiger exhibit, much of the theming is actually on the outside of the exhibits, making for a more immersive visitor experience without detracting from the exhibits.

While I have not been, Fresno Chaffee's Kingdoms of Asia seems like a good take on the temple theming as well.

 

[Arek]

Cologne Zoo (Germany) had a single specimen in 2019 and it was the very last one in Europe. Here's a portrait from 2014:

Chleby Zoo in Czechia has this species since 2016 and bred it in 2018.

 

[snowleopard]

I'm tall even for the Dutch and I don't think I could reach the tails even if I wanted to so I think it's more of a precaution to keep people from jumping up and trying

Maybe you should try next time you are at Apenheul, just to see what a langur does when it's got a Dutch giant hanging off its tail. Just joking!

While temple theming overall is certainly not popular on here, I do think there are places that temple theming works significantly better than others.

This is very true and my gut feeling is that a regular, zoo-going Muggle would enjoy seeing all the theming that goes into the countless 'ruined temples' within the zoo world. People like to see something new and different, rather than a typical enclosure they've come across many times before, and so theming does work when done well. It's mainly snooty zoo nerds like myself who look down on the ruined temple idea, as some of it is just crass and textured cement in all directions. Although, I'm a big supporter of the marbled temple orangutan exhibit at Pairi Daiza. There are loads of climbing opportunities, a lot of netting and shelving units to give the apes height, and a deep layer of mulch on the floor. Pairi Daiza's orang temple is over the top and appeals to photo-snapping visitors, but it's also really good for the inhabitants and better than 90% of all the orangutan exhibits I've ever seen. Most don't even have a soft natural substrate on the floor.

One of the all-time worst examples of theming would be the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, as when I was there in 2015 I was shocked at the tiger exhibit. The photo below shows almost the entire enclosure, all indoors and with a white tiger slumbering in the corner. Ugh.

Chleby Zoo in Czechia has this species since 2016 and bred it in 2018.

Thanks @Arek. Of all the zoos in Europe, having Red-shanked Douc Langurs at Chleby is a genuine surprise to me.