Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S44E9: Jungles | Parenthood | Clip

A Mother’s Escape: A Langur’s Dangerous Climb

SHARE

Rival males bring danger to langur families, forcing mothers to flee with their infants to steep, unforgiving cliffs. These white-headed langurs are among the rarest primates on Earth, found only in a small region of southern China.

TRANSCRIPT

(langur vocalizing) A couple of outsiders have been spotted, approaching through the fields, looking to take over the island.

(langurs vocalizing) (leaves rustling) Rival males will kill the offspring of others.

(langur vocalizing) (branches creaking) So, the mothers quickly get out of the way and retreat to the safety of the cliffs, leaving the rest of the troop to resist the attack.

(leaves rustling) (langur vocalizing) (leaves rustling) The intruders have been repelled for now.

But not everyone has gone unscathed.

(insects chirping) The troop begin the long climb back up.

(insects chirping) The mother and her precious cargo carefully work their way up the cliff.

The walls are near vertical and the holds, razor thin.

These langurs have adapted to this perilous habitat and their island refuge provides the mother and her baby with a safe haven for now.

But one day, the youngster will be forced to leave his mother's family and establish a territory of his own, and that will not be easy.