THE fate of the critically endangered Tonkin snub-nosed monkey just got more desperate. With little notice and less explanation, two German conservation organisations have decided to stop funding anti-poaching patrols at two locations that are home to half the world鈥檚 remaining population of between 100 and 300 individuals.
The monkey, Rhinopithecus avunculus, is one of the world鈥檚 10 most critically endangered primates. It is protected at two locations in northern Vietnam 鈥� Na Hang nature reserve and a proposed reserve called Cham Chu 鈥� by 30 wardens paid for by M眉nster Zoo and the Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations in Munich.
鈥淭he organisations have pulled the monkey鈥檚 funding with just one month鈥檚 notice鈥�
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But with just one month鈥檚 notice the organisations have pulled the funding, and money scraped together by Vietnamese local authorities to pay for the patrols will run out this month. A spokeswoman for J枚rg Adler, the director of M眉nster Zoo, says, 鈥淭he lack of interest and cooperation of local authorities gave conservation efforts in this region no reasonable chance.鈥�
Bettina Martin, a consultant with Vietnam鈥檚 forest protection department, disagrees. She says the local authorities have a strong commitment to forest protection, and the two sites, which cover nearly 100,000 hectares, need a minimum of 42 wardens to patrol them. 鈥淭he organisations had a commitment 鈥� a signed agreement to fund until the end of 2006,鈥� she adds.
