Specialist infant douc & silvered langur emergency care house, primary funded from EAST & MW supporters back in 2020 is under construction in Vietnam.

After what has felt like endless delays due to covid and post covid problems, at last our much needed house for rescued infant douc and silvered langurs is being built with our local construction team led by Mr Hieu, supervised by Lee.

In February 2024 Lee went out to Vietnam to supervise the start of the build.  Since the first concept the house design has evolved with the support of George (Monkey World estate manager), Lee, Marina & Alison.

What was initially a small two bedroom build, is now a large raised house, with six interconnected bedrooms, kitchen area and walk around veranda enabling better monitoring but also access to tunnels leading in to the large outsides. The house will be wrapped in mosquito mesh to ensure infants are not vulnerable to bites at night with the ability to cool or warm up the house depending on the season.  The house is also linked by a covered walkway to the main accommodation and staff office. This means that 24-hour care is possible, with night times feeds made easier, safer, and hopefully snake free!

With an increase in numbers of douc and silvered langurs arriving this house is desperately needed, but also in order for Dao Tien to become established with the government authorities as the specialist care centre in South Vietnam, an impressive build able to deal with all eventualities was vital.

With Lee’s arrival on Dao Tien to support and guide the team, yet another rescue occurred, two infant silvered langurs hunted in Buon Ma Thuot, (central highlands) were confiscated. Initially there were three infants, but one died at the side of the road while being illegally offered for sale to passers-by.

Phuong, our onsite Dao Tien manager and lead on specialist care, headed off immediately to collect Dani & Diep.  Dani, already with a dark head indicating a greater age than Diep, was much weaker, malnourished, terribly underweight and dehydrated. Sadly, for Dani it was too late to halt the clock, he had clearly fought for so long, but had nothing left and died overnight. The loss of Dani was huge for Diep, as primates need to be with their own kind. Diep also started to crash and go sleepy, showing signs of shock and breathing issues. He interspersed moments sleeping with moments crying and running round, scared and alone..

The team worked around the clock with Diep, with support in Vietnam and constant support from our International veterinary team, bringing nebulizers and oxygen support into our survival tool kit, to get Diep through this critical stage.

In addition to veterinary care, a new constant kindness and in the first weeks a constant warm contact was needed to keep Diep alive.  Diep, with a head or arm resting on his carer started to breathe a little steadier, drink a little better.  During the day we had the other secret weapon to survival, juvenile silvered langur Hon Me. Diep started to settle and simply calm down, as others of their own kind are key to supporting rescued wildlife in shock to live.

Diep is now starting his rehabilitation journey, with the hope in a few years he will make full release. Diep and our previously rescued silvered trio will be the first to be cared for in the new emergency care house on completion. This will not only enable Diep to recieve the care he needs but importantly be safely near others of his own kind.

Little Diep has already had his first full health check by our partners from Taiwanese Veterinary support. Led by veterinary surgeon Savvy with her colleagues Dr Lun and Dr Izzy.

Savvy has worked with us for many years and is now a co-founder of Wild One. (www.wildonetaiwan.org)

Dr Izzy is the dean of In-Asia animal hospital, specialising in dentistry. Dr Izzy provided specialist help with one of our rescued adult golden-cheeked gibbons Hiep, who had four infected/broken canines. 10 years ago Hiep would be in trouble with so much teeth damage, but now specialist wildlife expertise enables root canals to easily be done. Dr Izzy performed two root canals and will return later in the year for the other two. Already Hiep is eating better and starting to gain weight.

Savvy has also taken on the role of onsite specialist training of our new Vietnamese veterinary Surgeon, Dr Hoang, who is now supporting Dao Tien.