An endangered Hoolock Gibbon was killed by electrocution inside the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Jorhat district, Assam, on Monday, February 9, 2026, after coming into contact with a newly electrified railway line that runs through the sanctuary. Forest officials say the primate, part of India’s only ape species, died at the site, raising urgent concerns about wildlife safety amid recent infrastructure expansion.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Jorhat Division, Monica Kishore confirmed the incident to GPlus and said: “This has been the first incident in the area since the inception of the new electrified railway line. We are in discussion with the railway officials for a possible solution to mitigate the issue for the near future and protection of the endangered species.”
Conservationists and forest staff warn that electrification within the sanctuary’s core area poses a direct threat to arboreal animals. Hoolock Gibbons spend almost all their lives in the tree canopy and seldom descend to the ground, making them especially vulnerable to overhead electric lines and related infrastructure intrusions.
Forest officials have urged immediate mitigation measures to prevent further fatalities, recommending insulation of live wires and the creation of safe canopy crossings so animals can move across fragmented treetops without contacting electrified structures. They say rapid coordination with railway authorities is essential to implement such safeguards.
The death has intensified calls for an urgent review of infrastructure projects that bisect protected habitats, with local authorities and conservation groups pressing for solutions that balance connectivity with species protection to avert further loss in this vulnerable sanctuary.
Original Source: https://www.guwahatiplus.com/assam/endangered-hoolock-gibbon-dies-of-electrocution-in-assams-jorhat-sanctuary
Category: Assam
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Publish Date: 2026-02-10 13:20:00
