GUWAHATI, AUG 8: A male Hoolock Gibbon was found dead at Barekuri Jahukhowa village in upper Assam Tinsukia district on Monday morning.
Barekuri area is just 7 kms from Tinsukia and a habitat of Hoolock Gibbon. The villagers loved the endangered species and most of the Hoolock Gibbon have a friendly relation with the villagers.
Talking to this correspondent, Diplob Chutia, president of Barekuri eco-development committee said, “Today morning, we have found that a Hoolock Gibbon was laying dead at ground. We immediately, informed the forest official about the matter. Forest team and vet expert came and confirmed the death of the Hoolock Gibbon,”.
He said, “Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) veterinarian Debajit Kakoti conducted the post mortem of the Hoolock Gibbon and found that he was suffering from lung related disease and having pneumonia. We have later burnt his dead body in front of forest officials,”.
“Now, we have only 18 Hoolock Gibbon in the Barekuri area. Earlier, most of the Hoolock Gibbon in Barekuri died due to electrocution. We have given a project for the conservation of Hoolock Gibbon in Barekuri but till now the project has not been sanctioned,” Chutia said.
The lifespan of a Hoolock Gibbon is roughly 30 to 35 years in the wild and 40 to 50 years in captivity.
From 34 Hoolock Gibbons in 2003 to just 18 this year, the species which has co-existed with humans at Barekuri, now faces the threat of further loss of numbers.
“The Hoolock Gibbon of Barekuri village are facing a threat. The government is not doing anything for the protection of the endangered species. Due to industrialization and gas which comes out from the OIL India Limited(OIL) has posing a threat for the species. Tourists comes to this village to see Hoolock Gibbons but still the government has not taken any conservation step for the monkey species,” alleged Debojit Moran, a conservationist.
He said, “In 2018-19, a meeting was held in Tinsukia for the protection and conservation of Hoolock Gibbon of the Barekuri village but till date nothing has been done. The Hoolock Gibbons of the Barekuri village are facing a threat of being extinct. The Forest Department should act immediately for the protection of the endangered species,”.
The Hoolock Gibbons are facing serious threat- and just from the interaction with humans. They are listed as ‘endangered’ by the IUCN, their population has dwindled by 90% in the last 30 years because of their increasingly fragmented habitat. Hoolocks are particularly vulnerable because of their almost exclusively arboreal existence.