Food items consumed by white-headed langurs in Fusui, China

We studied the socioecology of white-headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) from September 1997 to September 1998 in Fusui Precious Animal Reserve, SW Guangxi, China. We collected data on climate, phenology of food plant species, and foods consumed by langurs living in habitats with different levels of human disturbance. Feeding records showed that the most food is from less common plant species. Young leaves were the staple food item in all langur groups, and consumption correlates with availability. Consumption of mature leaves is not significantly correlated with their availability, but the langurs fed on them, and other food items such as fruits and seeds, when the availability of young leaves was low. Langurs in different areas had broadly similar diets, but they varied most in the proportion of supplementary items such as fruit. Groups in more disturbed habitat did not increase the overall proportion of mature leaves in their diet, but instead maintained their intake of young leaves from a greater diversity of species, and incorporated more immature fruit. Conservationists should direct efforts toward protection of rare plant species providing preferred food items, particularly supplementary foods at times when, and in areas where, preferred food items are less available.