Rehabilitating and Releasing Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus

Rehabilitating and Releasing Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus)
Confiscated from the Illegal Wildlife Trade in South Vietnam
Kenyon. M, Streicher. U, Binh. V, Thanh. T, Mui. T, Cronin. A.
The Dao Tien Endangered Primate
Species Centre, Cat Tien National
Park Vietnam.
Forestry Protection Department (FPD) rescue and transfer to the
Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre
• In 2008 the Dao Tien endangered Primate Species Centre
(DTEPSC) located on a 56 ha island, opened in Cat Tien
National Park, Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve.
• A mosaic of secondary evergreen, semi-evergreen, bamboo
and plantation forest.
• Tropical monsoon climate- extreme wet (Nov/April) and dry
(May-Oct) season.
• Working with the FPD endangered primates confiscated and
transferred to DTEPSC for rehabilitation and release
Identifying pygmy loris fit for release
• Source of primates- FPD/transfer amd from Cuchi Wildlife rescue
centre.
• Health checks under anaesthesia- examined for weight (300-400g)
, mature (estimated > 18 months) signs of disease, dental status
and general fitness for release. Intradermal Tb test, blood sample
and micro-chipped. 6 weeks quarantine. Treated for intestinal
parasites.
• Origin - most likely from South - genetics mow able to support
this!
• Forest type originated from- difficult to know unless informed
specifically where hunted from. Confiscation data very
important.
Pygmy loris complex and semi-forested enclosure
• 43 pygmy loris
rescued
• 21 released so far..
Pygmy loris release sites within Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve
• Since 2009 - 21 pygmy loris radio collared, released and
post-release monitored.
• RELEASE SITE- identification of available habitat is a
pre-condition for release.
• Wild pygmy loris density surveys (only conducted in
CTNP, southern section of DNBR permits not available)
• Line transect surveys found very low Linear encounter
rate of 0.19 animals/km (low) in nam cat tien area
• Habitat assessment - Habitat structure surveys of one 0.25
ha plot for each site (basal area, connectivity, canopy
cover).
VHF transmitter collaring of every released pygmy loris
• Holohil, PD-2C, 4g transmitter
• Collar fitted using absorbable suture material inside rubber
tubing
• Transmitter battery life 6 months.
Post-release monitoring. What do the pygmy loris do,
where do they go - do they survive?
• Post-release monitoring led by Vo Thanh Binh (CTNP kiem
lam > 12 yrs. specialist primate monitoring experience)
• Data collected on sleep site location, height 8.54 m ± 4.46
n=60), DBH 75.2 ± 58.4 (n=225), mean height of sleeping
tree 20.2 ± 9, n=230. Slept on strata level of highest
connectivity.
• Distance between consecutive sleeping sites 122m ± 108.0
n=324). No significant distance between males and females.
• Home range estimates- limited behavioural follows- but
sleep site location show a core area of 20 hectares- based on
6 months post-release monitoring (n=2).
• All survivors staying in release location.
Summary of the different rehabilitation-release protocols as the project
developed
2009
Wet season- in situ-release 2 months / supplementary feeding
SUCCESS
2010
Dry season (a) in situ release cage 1 month /supplementary feeding
2011
PARTIAL FAILURE
(b) no in-situ release cage/ no supplementary feeding
FAILURE
Wet season/semi-forested enclosure/no in-situ release cage/no
supplementary feeding
FAILURE
Wet season- in situ –release cage (2 days)/ supplementary feeding
SUCCESS
2013
Wet season- in situ –release cage (2 days)/ supplementary feeding
SUCCESS
2014/15 Wet season-in situ-release cage (2 days)/ supplementary feeding
SUCCESS
2012
What have we learnt?
How can we increase the survival of reintroduced pygmy loris?
• Release season in the South- wet season
(June-November)
• Release site- mixed habitat- well connectedlow predator density (newly protected sites,
secondary forest!)
• Short as time as possible in captivity
• In-situ release/habituation cage to de-stress,
2 days minimum.
• Release at night- quietly
• Release in a site suitable for them to establish
a home range area –enough space - as
generally they will not travel away.
Education awareness and Community Engagement
Vital education awareness….now
• School outreach
• Education Awareness
tours We released 2 families initially to create this stimulus to sing but with the death of
the first male so soon this was not possible
• Livelihood
support
How
quickly and naive gibbons released into an area sing. Release more groups
or release into an area with established gibbon groups.
• Capacity building
• Surveys
• Surveillance of social
media
Acknowledgements
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Cat Tien National Park management and kiem lam
Vinh Cuu management and kiem lam
Vietnam Forestry Protection Department
Monkey World-Ape Rescue
Pingtung Rescue Centre veterinary team
Cuchi Wildlife Rescue Centre
All volunteers who helped with monitoring and surveys
John Lewis, and Uli Streicher for advice and veterinary
care
• Anna Nekaris for consultation and support
• Dao Tien staff, in particular primate care staff for
continuing to believe a solution can be found.
• Lush Charity pot
THANK YOU