Fotografiert von Robert Marc Lehmann
Robert Marc Lehmann is a marine biologist, research diver and prize-winning nature photographer. In HEROES WORLD, he tells us about the stories behind his images.
Our clothes say a lot about us. If we’re looking to attract the attention of a love interest, we might decide to put on something eye-catching – a colorful shirt, fancy accessories or a close-fitting top. Whether bright red tights would have the desired effect remains uncertain. However, the red-shanked douc wears its striking pantaloons with pride.
This red-legged primate lives in the forests of Vietnam and is among the most colorful apes on the planet. It has a gray back, a white tail, black thighs and bright red lower legs that give the red-shanked douc its name. Its orangey-yellow face is equally striking.
“A beautiful animal – and one of my absolute favorite photos of the last few years. Unfortunately, the red-shanked douc is at risk of extinction,” says nature photographer Robert Marc Lehmann. Above all, the extensive defoliation and carpet bombing of Vietnamese forests during the Vietnam War of the 1960s and 1970s decimated the red-shanked douc population. Yet, even today, these creatures continue to suffer from deforestation of their habitat. “If you want to help these animals, you can support numerous organizations who work to protect monkeys,” says Robert.
The monkeys’ bright colors are not their only way of attracting attention. “Red-shanked doucs pull faces at each other before mating. The monkeys seem to find these grimaces attractive, but I found them rather off-putting,” says Robert, laughing. Such behavior probably wouldn’t go down well between humans.
