Monkeys are pretty cute. Baby ones, even more so.
This very young dusky langur was left alone and injured after its mother was attacked and killed by a pack of feral dogs.
The one-week-old was left to fight for his life and is now recovering after being rescued by the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT).
He was found in the Chumphon Province in southern Thailand where he was left bitten and scared.
After giving him a quick feed of a special milk formula, he was rushed back to the Wildlife Hospital.
To help him recover, he was also given a teddy bear to act as a replacement mother, while he adjusts to life on his own.
The unnamed orange newborn seemed content with his teddy bear mother as he gripped the stuffed toy.
A WFFT spokesperson said: ‘The WFFT Rescue Team headed out for the long drive south to help this poor infant. Upon arrival, they were shocked to find a very small langur who had sustained numerous bite wounds during the attack. We estimate that he is around a week old, as his umbilical cord is still attached’.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species say the dusky langur is near threatened.
Hunting for food and the pet trade are major threats, as is habitat loss and degradation, they say. Expansion of agricultural practices (such as growing plants and animals for human consumption) and urbanisation throughout its range also affect their numbers.
‘Considering the extensive habitat loss that has taken place within the range of the species, there is reason to believe that this species is in decline.
‘This species plays a major role in the ecology of the forest, providing ecosystem services in their forest habitats. They act as seed dispersers of the plants and fruits they eat, enhancing forest regeneration and connectivity. They also have an impact on the food chain as they serve as prey for various other species of animals such as leopards.
‘Attacks on wild animals by feral dogs and cats are very common here in Thailand, they often kill or injure native wild animals, this can have long term detrimental affect on Thailand’s wild animals.
‘The feral dog population alone is estimated at just below 1,000,000 individuals.’
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