June 4, 2026
JOHOR BARU – Johor may be home to significantly more Raffles’ banded langurs than previously estimated, offering fresh hope for the survival of one of the world’s rarest primates.
Field explorations conducted last month by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and the Johor Forestry Department at the Lenggor-Mersing Central Forest Spine uncovered a previously unknown population comprising between 40 and 50 langurs, Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Abdul Latiff Abu Bakar said.
“Based on the expanded distribution that we have documented and with new groups still being discovered, I believe the actual population could reach between 600 and 700 primates in Johor alone once comprehensive surveys are carried out,” he said.
The Raffles’ banded langur was classified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2022.
(According to the New England Primate Conservancy website, there are about 300 Raffles’ banded langurs in Malaysia as of 2021 and 68 in Singapore.)
Muhammad Abdul Latiff, who is UTHM’s Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology deputy dean (Research, Development and Publication), said the critically-endangered species is likely far more widespread across Johor than previously believed.
He cited a 2024 study published in the American Journal of Primatology which found the species inhabiting a much larger range than previously recorded, extending beyond Johor into neighbouring Pahang.
Despite the encouraging findings, Muhammad Abdul Latiff warned that the species remains under severe threat from habitat loss, forest fragmentation, hunting and increasing human-wildlife conflict.
He said decades of forest clearing for agriculture and development have significantly reduced the langur’s natural habitat, leaving many groups isolated in small patches of forest separated by roads, plantations and urban areas.
Such isolation increases the risk of inbreeding, weakens genetic diversity and leaves populations vulnerable to disease outbreaks, severe weather events and forest fires.
The langur’s feeding habits further complicate conservation efforts. Unlike more adaptable species such as long-tailed macaques, it relies heavily on specific forest plants and is unable to easily survive in farmland or urban environments when its habitat disappears.
Muhammad Abdul Latiff said the species is no longer evenly distributed across southern Johor, with many heavily-developed areas unable to support viable populations.
However, districts such as Kota Tinggi and Pontian remain important strongholds due to the presence of suitable forest cover and vegetation.
He described the langur as both a flagship and umbrella species whose protection will benefit a wide range of other wildlife sharing the same forest ecosystem.
The primate also serves as an important indicator of forest health, as its presence generally signifies well-preserved and functioning forest habitats.
Beyond its ecological value, Muhammad Abdul Latiff said the Johor population represents a genetically distinct lineage found in only a handful of locations worldwide.
“If we allow this species to disappear, we are not simply losing another primate species. We are losing a unique branch of the tree of life that took millions of years to evolve and exists almost nowhere else on earth,” he said.
To safeguard the species, he called for expanded scientific research, long-term population monitoring, stronger habitat protection and the restoration of ecological corridors connecting fragmented forest patches.
He also stressed the importance of community engagement, public awareness programmes and stronger collaboration among the Wildlife and National Parks Department, forestry authorities, universities, conservation groups and communities.
Looking ahead, Muhammad Abdul Latiff remains cautiously optimistic about the species’ future.
“Johor still has substantial forest cover and we now know the langur is more widespread than we once feared.
“If we protect and reconnect forests, continue research, enforce existing laws and work together across all sectors, this species can recover and thrive,” he said.