- In May, wildlife biologist Kuenzang Dorji was honored with a Whitley Award for his work to protect Gee’s golden langurs (Trachypithecus geei), among the world’s most endangered primates, found exclusively in the fragile Himalayan foothills of Bhutan and India.
- The langurs’ survival is increasingly threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, all of which is exacerbated by climate change, which in turn affects the animals’ feeding patterns.
- As the animals are pushed closer to agricultural areas, human-wildlife conflict has increased between farmers and langurs; Kuenzang Dorji’s work centers on community-driven programs to reduce this conflict.
- Kuenzang Dorji recently spoke about his conservation efforts and the Whitley Award with Mongabay.
Kuenzang Dorji’s lifelong passion for wildlife, fostered since childhood, set the stage for his distinguished career in conservation. His professional journey began as a park ranger at Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park under the Royal Government of Bhutan. In this role, he was tasked with wildlife protection, forest management and law enforcement. A keen interest in conservation research started with the endangered Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), and he holds the distinction of having been the first Bhutanese biologist to photograph this majestic animal in the wild with camera trap technology.
Witnessing the challenges of subsistence farmers sharing the landscape with Gee’s golden langur, Kuenzang Dorji has dedicated most of his two decades of conservation work to this field. He was recognized in May 2024 by the Whitley Fund for Nature for these efforts to protect the endangered golden langur and help address human-wildlife conflict in the country. The Whitley Awards, also known as the “Green Oscars,” are prestigious prizes honoring grassroots conservation leaders of the Global South.
Bhutan, along with a small region in western Assam, India, is the last remaining home of Gee’s golden langur. Despite Bhutan’s constitution mandating the protection of at least 60% forest cover, economic expansion — such as for hydropower projects, road construction and housing development — has forced many of the country’s 2,500 golden langurs into closer contact with humans. Traditionally viewed positively in this small, landlocked country of about 800,000 people, the golden langur is now seen as a crop raider by subsistence farmers.
Currently affiliated with the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Kuenzang Dorji collaborates with field foresters to redefine the role of local people in conservation efforts. His innovative approach includes using heat maps to locate conflict spots, implementing community interventions and installing road signs for langur safety. In addition to his role as a park ranger, Kuenzang Dorji has served as an instructor and researcher at the Nature Study Center of the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Forestry Research and Training. Over the past two decades, he has significantly contributed to an array of conservation projects, research and ecotourism development. His primary focus has been promoting coexistence between humans and langurs, aiming to build “a harmonious human-primate society.”
Kuenzang Dorji is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and archaeology at the University of Calgary in Canada and is a founder of Bhutan GIS Society and Primate Conservation Society. He recently spoke with Mongabay via email. The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Mongabay: Congratulations on receiving the Whitley Award! Please tell us how you got to this point? What does this award mean to you?
Kuenzang Dorji: From a young age, I have been passionately opposed to harming and killing animals, a conviction deeply influenced by my father, a farmer who adheres to strong Buddhist principles against hunting, fishing and any form of harm to animals. Although I was too young to recognize these values as conservation work, I now see that these early experiences laid the foundation for my journey in wildlife conservation. When my parents could not afford my education beyond grade 10, I became a forest ranger, dedicated to safeguarding nature. Over the years, my commitment to protecting wildlife and promoting coexistence between humans and nature has only grown stronger. My conservation research began with the endangered Bengal tiger, and I was proud to be the first Bhutanese biologist to photograph this majestic creature in the wild using the latest camera trap technology. Among these projects, my primary interest and focus have been promoting coexistence between humans and langurs to build a harmonious human-primate society. Currently, I am affiliated with the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, where I continue to dedicate my efforts to conservation and promoting coexistence.
I have also served as both an instructor and researcher at the Nature Study Center of the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Forestry Research and Training within the Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Over the past two decades, I have contributed to numerous projects focused on tiger research, ecotourism development, small mammal research and primate studies.
Receiving the Whitley Award is a tremendous honor for me. This acknowledgment is not only a personal achievement but also a reflection of two decades of hard work and commitment. The award validates the numerous hours and unwavering dedication invested in conservation efforts. It serves as a powerful affirmation that my modest contribution is truly impactful and motivates me to persist in the face of obstacles. This recognition provides invaluable assistance for my work. It enhances publicity, enabling me to reach a broader audience and garner support. Additionally, it acts as a platform for sharing successes and setbacks with fellow awardees, as well as securing crucial funding and resources to further expand my initiatives in safeguarding biodiversity.
Mongabay: Tell us more about the work for which you were recognized.
Kuenzang Dorji: I was recognized for my work in protecting the endangered Gee’s golden langur in the East Himalayas. The conservation status and cultural significance of Gee’s golden langur inspired me to focus on this species. For centuries, people and langurs have coexisted harmoniously. However, as climate change forces them into agricultural areas, these once-revered langurs are now seen as pests. The shift in people’s attitudes and the negative interactions between local farmers and langurs have become key conservation issues. In this context, promoting coexistence through interventions that benefit both vulnerable populations are crucial for fostering harmony between the monkeys and the local community. My work is focused on providing practical solutions to help langurs and people in a 6,500-square-kilometer [2,500-square-mile] project area, which includes the six remote districts in Bhutan where the golden langur is found, including the Royal Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is home to 100,000 people and my work focused primarily on Zhemgang [south-central] and Trongsa [central] districts, which are home to the largest population of the primate and where human-langur interaction is at its highest in Bhutan.
Mongabay: What does Gee’s golden langur look like? Where is it found?
Kuenzang Dorji: Gee’s golden langur is a leaf-eating monkey, roughly the size of an average dog, distinguished by its dark golden to creamy buff fur, black face, expressive eyes and a long, pale beard. They have a slim body, with long limbs and a tail that exceeds the length of their body. Easily spotted from a distance, these monkeys exhibit peaceful behavior. One of the world’s 25 most endangered primates, Gee’s golden langur is found exclusively in the fragile Himalayan regions of Bhutan and India. Their survival is increasingly threatened by continuous habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, all exacerbated by climate change. The change in climate, including temperature and rainfall, has changed the timing of the trees’ phenological cycle. This change has affected when trees flower, sprout, grow leaves and bear fruit. The shift in temperature and rainfall patterns has influenced the habitat choice and feeding habits of the golden langur, leading them to venture into areas dominated by humans. Golden langurs seek out agricultural crops as an alternative food source, impacting the food security of local farmers. This shift has caused significant issues for the local communities of Trongsa and Zhemgang, who are now struggling with frequent crop raids by golden langurs.
Mongabay: Elaborate more on human-langur conflict.
Kuenzang Dorji: When langurs venture into human-dominated areas, particularly those with dense road networks and power lines, they face significant dangers such as vehicle collisions and electrocutions. To protect their fields, people employ various methods, including using guard dogs, making loud noises, banging empty tins and throwing stones. In some cases, when there aren’t enough laborers, children are even made to miss school to help guard the fields. Despite these measures, the damage caused by the langurs remains within the tolerance levels of the local communities, and there are no reports of langurs being killed by people. Langurs are generally non-aggressive toward humans, and there have been no incidents of people being injured by them.
Mongabay: Can you describe some of the practical solutions you have developed to mitigate human-langur conflicts?
Kuenzang Dorji: The simple practical solutions to encourage coexistence between humans and langurs involve installation of a prototype of a tiger or leopard with built-in natural predator sounds. This creates an illusion for langurs that there is a natural predator nearby agricultural fields. These solutions have been proven to effectively deter langurs from entering agricultural fields and wandering near the power transformers. As a result, farmers are able to harvest 60-70% of their crops and [it] has reduced the incidence of langur electrocution.
Mongabay: This prototype of a tiger or leopard with built-in natural predator sounds — is this a focus of the award? Do you think this method could be used for species?
Kuenzang Dorji: Absolutely, the primary aim of the Whitley Award is to empower communities to develop innovative and effective strategies for coexisting with endangered golden langurs. These interventions not only reduce negative interactions between humans and langurs but also minimize conflicts with other wildlife. For example, prototypes designed to mimic tigers or leopards have proven effective in deterring a range of wild animals, enhancing overall coexistence efforts.
Mongabay: What role does the community play in your conservation efforts, and how have they responded to these initiatives?
Kuenzang Dorji: Community roles play a crucial part in our conservation endeavors. The people living in the area are leading the way, embracing a new role of spearheading conservation rather than merely being engaged. This change has cultivated a feeling of responsibility and care for the environment within the communities. The locals show openness toward conservation efforts, as it has successfully safeguarded their crops and the revered golden langur, highly esteemed among the primate species.
Mongabay: Can you elaborate? What exactly are communities doing to spearhead conservation?
Kuenzang Dorji: Currently, conservation initiatives are typically led by the government or NGOs, with local people merely participating. This has fostered a mindset that conservation is solely the government’s responsibility. However, if local communities take the lead on these projects, they will develop a stronger sense of ownership over environmental conservation. By providing them with technical and financial support, locals can take charge of critical tasks such as collecting data on human-langur interaction hotspots, installing animal repellents, putting up road signs, constructing canopy bridges, conducting outreach programs and developing policy briefs for managing critical habitats. Not every household in a village will need a predator prototype. Instead, farmers on the outskirts of the forest will install these devices, and specific households will take responsibility for their running. Protecting farms on the outskirts effectively safeguards those at the center, ensuring equal benefits for all households in the village. Under the leadership of the village headman, every villager will contribute labor for the installation and maintenance of these devices, fostering a collaborative and community-driven approach to conservation.
Mongabay: What are the next steps for your project, and how do you envision the future of human-langur coexistence in Bhutan?
Kuenzang Dorji: Sustainability forms the foundation of every project. The subsequent stages involve empowering local communities, especially women who are underrepresented in conservation decision-making. Another sustainable approach is nurturing young conservationists to ensure the continuity of conservation efforts. I am committed to nurturing young primatologists and encouraging public engagement with science and technology. In a shared landscape where the distinction between forests and agriculture is blurred due to farm abandonment and rural-urban migrations, the challenges of negative interactions between humans and langurs persist. Nevertheless, with the community taking the lead in addressing these negative interactions, I am optimistic about the prospects of people and monkeys in Bhutan coexisting harmoniously.
Mongabay: How can people outside of Bhutan support your efforts and contribute to the conservation of Gee’s golden langur?
Kuenzang Dorji: Wildlife recognizes no borders. India and Bhutan can enhance cross-border collaboration to safeguard this endangered and endemic species. A way for external parties to aid in conserving the endangered golden langur is by providing financial assistance through organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation. Local inhabitants now understand that despite causing some harm, langurs offer ecosystem benefits that outweigh the drawbacks. Tourists and visitors from around the world can visit Bhutan and engage in sustainable ecotourism. Sustainable tourism can bring economic benefits and new income sources to local communities, while also enhancing the value of wildlife-provided ecosystem services. This assistance will help rekindle the positive bond between the local population and langurs, fostering the long-term conservation of the endangered golden langur.
Mongabay: You mention that local inhabitants now understand that langurs offer ecosystem benefits that outweigh the drawbacks. What specifically are these ecosystem benefits?
Kuenzang Dorji: The golden langur offers significant ecosystem services, particularly in the realm of ecotourism. With its striking golden fur and expressive eyes, this captivating species draws both international and regional tourists to the areas where it resides. Local communities benefit from ecotourism through various avenues such as selling local products, providing guide services, offering porter and pony services and operating farmhouses. This influx of tourism not only enhances local economies but also fosters a greater appreciation and commitment to conserving the golden langur and its habitat.
Mongabay: What message would you like to share with young conservationists who are passionate about protecting wildlife?
Kuenzang Dorji: To the young and enthusiastic conservationist, ensure that you dedicate a minimum of 10,000 hours to establishing a connection with species that ignite your passion. Avoid blending or associating your passion solely with advantages. I encourage all of you to persist regardless of the scale and influence. Acknowledgment frequently comes to those who are dedicated, showcasing the genuine value of one’s efforts in the glow of recognition.
Banner image: An endangered Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei). Image by kalyanvarma via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
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