NEWS – Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has allocated funds to construct canopy bridges for gibbons in eastern Assam

HIGHLIGHTS

• Location: The project targets the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Jorhat district, home to India’s only ape, the Hoolock gibbon.
• Track Division: A 1.65-km-long railway track divides the 2,098.62-hectare sanctuary, disrupting the habitat.
• Disruption: The railway track fragmentation poses a risk to gibbons, who are at risk while crossing the track.

Canopy Bridges:

• Purpose: Facilitate safe movement of gibbons across the railway track.
• Design: Developed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in consultation with NFR.
• Installation: Bridges will be installed at strategic points within the sanctuary.
• Construction: Ends and knots secured with high-grade materials; safety nets installed below the bridges.

Implementation Strategy

• Natural Integration: Bridges will support lianas and creepers to blend with the natural environment.
• Past Efforts: Previous artificial canopy bridges were ineffective, while natural bridges erected by the State Forest Department and Aaranyak were successful

GIBBON  

• Species and Habitat:
  • Smallest and Fastest Apes: Found in tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia.
  • Population: Approximately 12,000 hoolock gibbons in Northeast India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Southern China.
• Species in India:
  • Two Distinct Species: Eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) and western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock).
  • Genetic Study: Recent analysis by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) reveals only one species in India, with populations diverging 1.48 million years ago.
• Conservation Challenges
  • Threats:
    • Habitat Loss: Primary threat due to deforestation for infrastructure projects.
    • High Risk of Extinction: All 20 gibbon species are at significant risk.
  • Conservation Status:
    • Western Hoolock Gibbon: Endangered (IUCN Red List).
    • Eastern Hoolock Gibbon: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List).
    • Legal Protection: Both species listed on Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972.