Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 29 highlighted the close bond between local communities and the endangered hoolock gibbon, praising villagers who feed and care for the primates even as experts warn of mounting threats to their survival. In a post on X, Sarma described the relationship as “heartwarming,” saying it reflects Assam’s deep-rooted respect for nature and wildlife.
The hoolock gibbon, India’s only ape species, survives in fragmented forest patches across Assam and the wider Northeast. Key habitats in the state include the Barekuri forest in Tinsukia, the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, and forest tracts in Karbi Anglong and the Barak Valley. Wildlife experts estimate roughly 7,000 hoolock gibbons remain in Assam, making the state a crucial stronghold for the species.
Villages around Barekuri are often cited as a rare example of successful coexistence. Locals have informally protected gibbons for decades and treated them as part of the community, calling and sometimes feeding the animals without formal management, a practice Sarma praised in his post.
Conservationists, however, warn that the species faces serious pressures. Habitat fragmentation from deforestation, encroachment, oil exploration and infrastructure development breaks the continuous forest canopy gibbons need to move. When canopy gaps force these strictly arboreal primates to descend to the ground, they become vulnerable to predators and other hazards. Experts also point to declining food sources as fruit-bearing trees are lost, electrocution risks from power lines, and occasional hunting.
Researchers and conservation groups stress that restoring forest connectivity, expanding protected habitat and strengthening community-led conservation will be vital to securing the hoolock gibbon’s future. The Chief Minister’s comments underscore both the cultural value the species holds in Assam and the urgent conservation measures needed to preserve this “forest gem” for generations to come.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/environment/story/himanta-highlights-human-gibbon-bond-as-assams-forest-gem-faces-habitat-crisis-1383568-2026-04-29?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-29 22:28:00
