Vietnam seeks UNESCO assessment for Delacour's langur cultural-ecological landscape
VOV.VN - The Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO has requested the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to conduct a preliminary assessment of the dossier for the Van Long - Kim Bang - Tam Chuc cultural and ecological landscape of the Delacour's langur, ahead of an official nomination bid.
Speaking after a two-day field survey by UNESCO representatives in Trang An and Tam Chuc, Bui Van Manh, Director of the Ninh Binh provincial Department of Tourism, announced that the preliminary assessment request has been formally submitted.
Under UNESCO procedures, a preliminary assessment is a mandatory preparatory step prior to the formal submission of a nomination dossier. The review allows early identification of key issues concerning outstanding universal value, integrity, authenticity, and management requirements.
The proposed nomination area spans approximately 11,000 hectares, encompassing the Van Long wetland nature reserve, the Kim Bang area, the Tam Chuc complex, and connecting ecological corridors. The landscape highlights limestone karst formations, biodiversity, and the habitat of the Delacour's langur (Trachypithecus delacouri), a critically endangered primate endemic to Vietnam.
Recent surveys indicate that the country hosts around 562 to 570 individuals across 81 to 82 groups, with roughly 95% concentrated in Ninh Binh province.
While local habitats face ongoing pressures from poaching, trapping, forest loss, and quarrying, the establishment of linked conservation zones aims to secure ecological connectivity and intensify protection for the species.
Notably, on September 10, 2026, Ninh Bình established the 3,182-hectare Kim Bang Delacour's Langur Species and Habitat Conservation Area, comprising over 3,000 hectares of natural forest.
According to provincial estimates, the comprehensive nomination process is projected to span approximately five years.
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