The western black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor in Laos: new records and conservation status

Few viable populations of western black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor remain in southern China and northern Indochina, where the species is endemic. We conducted village surveys in the Nam Ha National Protected Area in Luang Namtha Province, Lao PDR to assess presence and status of gibbon populations. Forest surveys used to verify gibbon presence and species identification confirmed village reports of gibbon populations in three locations, and sonogram analysis identified all as N. concolor. These represent an expansion in the known distribution of western black crested gibbon in Lao PDR and the only known populations to occur inside the national protected area system. Arlyne Johnson (Corresponding author) Wildlife Conservation Society, Box 6712, Vientiane, Lao PDR. E-mail ajohnson@wcs.org Sarinda Singh, Malaykham Duangdala and Michael Hedemark Wildlife Conservation Society-Lao PDR Program, Box 6712, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Received 27 April 2004. Revision requested 25 August 2004. Accepted 17 December 2004. Significantly longer times since gibbons were last reported were associated with villages wit