COLOMBO (News 1st); A troop of purple-faced langur, also known as the purple-faced leaf monkeys is reportedly trapped in a small plot of land surrounded by water close to the Karadiyana Garbage dump in Piliyandala.

Environmentalists have called on the authorities to ensure these monkeys are relocated to a safe location as they are considered endangered species.

Since 2004, it has been considered to be critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to an 80% decline in population over the previous 36 years, and the fact that the rate of population decrease is expected to continue unabated.

In 2010, the western purple-faced langur was included in the list of The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, published by the IUCN and other organizations.

‘This small island that had formed following the development in the area does not contain any food and these monkeys are clearly unable to leave as well,’ pointed out environmentalist Thushara Kapurusinghe.

Several small islands have formed following the development of the marshy land close to the Karadiyana Garbage Dump.

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