Impacts of living with the endangered Golden Langurs in the forested landscapes of Bhutan

The Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei), a unique and venerated primate species endemic to the Eastern Himalayas, particularly Bhutan, confronts persistent challenges as a result of interactions with human populations (Thinley et al., 2019). Bhutan, well-known for its dedication to environmental preservation, presents a distinctive arena to explore the tolerance levels of local communities towards the damage caused by Golden Langurs. This study examines the extent of acceptance exhibited by the local people in Bhutan towards the negative effects of Golden Langurs. The primary research question for this internship is – What is the impact of golden langurs on farm incomes and what is the mechanism of crop protection adopted by farming communities? This internship is part of a larger project which aims to understand the tolerance level of people towards damage caused by golden langurs in the agroecosystem of Bhutan. This project will improve the understanding of human-wildlife conflicts especially in the context of an endangered species conservation and develop collaborative ethnography as a way to address concerns of community building and biodiversity conservation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Naotaka Hayashi

Student:

Partner:

Nature Study Center

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment

University:

University of Calgary

Program: