Order : PRIMATES
Family : Cercopithecidae
Species : Presbytis comata

Head-body length :
Tail length :
Weight : up to 67 kg

The Javan Grizzled Langur, also known as the  Javan Surili or Stripe-crested Langur, is an endangered species which survives on the island of Java, Indonesia. According to the IUCN there is an estimated population size of '5,000–12,000 individuals, of which 2,300–5,500 are adults ... in approximately 30 isolated populations' (Nijman et al, 2022).

The topography of Java comprises a 1000 km range of mainly active volcanoes, connected by fertile lowlands. Land conversion of wet, lowland forests to settlements, farms and plantations has occurred over many centuries, with the result that most volcanoes, or groups of volcanoes, are isolated from each other by cultivation.

The consequence of this is that species such as the Javan Grizzled Langur, which naturally inhabit tall primary forest, survive in disjunct fragments of their former range, on forested volcanic slopes which are generally too steep to cultivate. Very little suitable lowland forest now survives to support the species.

The species has been recorded in upper montane forests up to elevations of around 2600 metres in some locations, for example Gede-Pangrango and Mount Prahu (Nijman, 1997).

As with other leaf monkeys, this species feeds mainly on fresh, young leaves, but will also consume flowers, fruits and perhaps seeds. It is strictly arboreal, roosting at night high in the trees but descending by day into lower branches to feed.

Its fur colour ranges from whitish in some populations to dark grey in others. The 'grizzled' description refers to the mix of hair colours which make up its fur. As is typical of the genus Presbytis, the head is relatively small compared to body size, and the tail is long. Two subspecies are recognised - P. c. comata and P. c. fredericae.

The Javan Grizzled Langur is endemic to parts of central and western Java, including Halimun National Park, Gede-Pangrango National Park and the lowland forests of Ujung Kulon National Park in the far west. Notable populations also occur on Mount Slamet in central Java. 

Figs 1 and 2 : Grey specimen with pale hands and feet, a pale patch on its flank, and pale undersides.  Photographed in the morning at Mount Halimun, West Java, Indonesia at around 1000 metres elevation

Photo extracted from video filmed by Andie Ang.


References :

Nijman, V. (1997) On the occurrence and distribution of Presbytis comata (Desmarest, 1822) (Mammalia: Primates: Cercopithecidae) in Java, Indonesia. Contributions to Zoology, 66(4), 247-256

Nijman, V., Setiawan, A. & Ang, A. 2022. Presbytis comata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T210369485A210370097.