中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园机构知识库

Rethinking traditional animal names and their referents throughout history is important for understanding indigenous knowledge of wildlife, defining the role of animals in traditional cultures, and potentially promoting the conservation of species. The character y & ograve;u ((sic)) was the name of a nonhuman primate in ancient China. To date, y & ograve;u has been considered a gibbon (Nomascus spp.), a snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus spp.), or a Fran & ccedil;ois' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi). To better understand its original identity, I analyzed additional evidence to revisit the ideas and referents associated with y & ograve;u. Overall, identifying y & ograve;u as Fran & ccedil;ois' langurs is more consistent with historical archives. Historical records reveal that Frazn & ccedil;ois' langurs were widely distributed across South China in earlier periods. However, the species has since become extirpated from most of its primary habitats in the country. Reintroducing captive individuals into areas where Fran & ccedil;ois' langurs were once found may be a key conservation strategy for restoring locally extinct populations and safeguarding this endangered species in the future.