An international team of scientists from Germany and Vietnam discovered the ability of langur monkeys on Vietnam’s Cat Ba Island to drink seawater without harming their health.
Oku.AzAccording to the information, the study was published in the scientific journal “Nature Communications.”
Cat Ba langurs are one of the rarest primates in the world. According to the latest estimates, the number of the species does not exceed 85 individuals. The decline in population has caused genetic impoverishment.
According to researchers, despite their extremely vulnerable condition, Cat Ba langurs have managed to adapt to their habitat and develop the ability to survive in the absence of fresh water.
Experts have discovered changes in the monkeys’ genes that appear to have made them less sensitive to salt water. Genetic adaptations have allowed animals to cope with high sodium content.
The study of Jat Ba langurs serves as a valuable model to analyze the impact of a drastic population decline of the species on its genetic diversity, the scientists said.
