Guwahati, May 13 : With the spotting of Eastern Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock leucondys) in three reserved forests of eastern Assam, the state has earned the distinction of having the highest diversity of non-human primate species in India.
The additional species were spotted during a survey lead by NGO Aaranyak's primatologist Dr Dilip Chetry in three reserved forests of Sadiya sub-division in Tinsukia district.
Before the Hoolock gibbon survey was undertaken, North East India was known to harbour 11 species of non-human primate out of the total 25 species present in India. Out of those, nine species were confirmed to be present in Assam, Jayanta Pathak of Aaranyak informed.
However, the present study had shown that Assam actually has 10 species, making it the state with the highest diversity of non-human primate species, he said.
The extensive Hoolock gibbon survey was carried out in the month of March-May, 2010, in the reserve forests of Sadiya subdivision.
It was jointly carried out by the Zoology department of JN College, Boko, and the Gibbon Conservation Centre, Mariani, under the leadership of Dr Dilip Chetry, primatologist of Aaranyak, in collaboration with Assam Forest Department. The Primate Conservation Inc, USA, supported the programme.
The survey team not only sighted Hoolock gibbons but also subsequently identified the same as the Eastern Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) on the basis of scientific observations and research, Mr Pathak said.
Though the gibbon survey covered six reserve forests of Sadiya Range yet eastern hoolock gibbon was spotted only in three reserve forests - Hallow gaon, Kukuramara and Kundil Kolia.
''Unfortunately, the survey confirmed the harsh reality that the gibbon population had already been wiped out from other three reserve forests namely Deopani Reserve Forest, Sadiya station North Block and Sadiya Station West Block, of Sadiya Range of forests,'' Mr Pathak said.
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