They used to run when she got close.

“It was about consistency – same look, same pace, so they recognise you. You’re not a threat,” recalls Andie, now Head of Species Grants and Impact at Mandai Nature. “Eventually, they stopped running.”

Andie’s passion for conservation was sparked in her teens, when she helped repatriate a trafficked monkey. That early experience triggered a lifelong curiosity about primates. Years later, a symposium she attended focused her attention on the Raffles’ Banded Langur. 

Finding the elusive Langur, however, proved a challenge. Native to Singapore and Malaysia, the black-furred primate was rarely seen. In Singapore, only around 40 were left in the wild at the time.

For weeks, she scoured the Central Catchment, chasing tips from photographers and revisiting historical hotspots. “I was ready to give up before I finally spotted one near Upper Seletar,” she says. 

The sighting became the anchor for her study. She learned what they ate (leaves, mostly), when they moved (early morning, late afternoon), and how they behaved. But knowledge alone could not protect the species. What was needed was long-term funding and support.

The turning point came in 2016 when, recognising the importance of protecting this critically endangered species, government partners and conservation organisations convened to map out the first action plan for the Raffles’ Banded Langur.

The initiative was funded by the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund – now the Singapore Conservation Impact Grant under Mandai Nature, a non-profit established by Temasek and the Mandai Wildlife Group. The action plan outlined key priorities, including habitat protection, improved data collection, and public awareness. This led to the formation of the Raffles’ Banded Langur Working Group, which Andie chairs.

To help realise the action plan, citizen scientists were recruited to join the conservation efforts in Singapore. The first round in 2016 drew about 35 volunteers. 10 years on, more than 1,200 volunteers have taken part. Over time, they have provided researchers with valuable on-ground insights into the species’ movements and habits, as well as potential threats.

One critical contribution from the citizen scientists was identifying the plant species the langurs fed on. Species identified as endangered were subsequently reintroduced as part of a restoration effort by the National Parks Board. “Habitat restoration is key. You are ensuring there are enough resources for the langurs to sustain themselves and reproduce,” Andie explains.

Through the collective efforts of the Working Group, the population is slowly growing. As of 2025, there were approximately 80 Raffles' Banded Langurs in Singapore.

“It’s not dramatic,” Andie says. “But that’s what success looks like in this kind of work.”