Ape habitat under threat, Assam INDIA

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Ape habitat under threat

Mr Bordoloi, have you forgotten your primates?

 

Link: www.sentinelassam.com

The Sentinel, Guwahati, Monday, 02 January, 2006

 

From a Staff Reporter

MARIANI, Jan 1: Even for residents of the State, leave aside others,

Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is perhaps not a familiar name as the

Kaziranga and Manas are. Amazing as it may sound, this unkempt

reserve is an abode of seven of the 15 species of primates found in

the country. That is not all. This is one of the very few habitats

where the stump-tailed and the pig-tailed macaques coexist. Besides,

it is also a place of definite sighting of the only ape in the

country —the hollock gibbon.

 

But unfortunately, the harsh fact is that this only sanctuary of

Jorhat district is under serious threats due to large-scale human

interference and lackadaisical attitude of the State Forest

Department.

 

Earlier known as Hoolongapar reserve forest, this pristine habitat

was declared a sanctuary on July 30, 1997. Already, the small forest

area (19.49 sq km) has ever been a major shortcoming because this

area coverage has failed to meet the increasing demand for forage

and shelter of the growing animal population. Worse, illegal felling

of trees, grass, bushes and mosses from the forest spelled doom for

the flora and fauna of the sanctuary.

 

Besides housing mammals like elephants, boars, deer, squirrels,

reptiles like lizards and pythons and aves like drongo, mayna and

bill, this sanctuary is a habitat of precious species of flora

ranging from hollong, agaru, halakh, xachi and nahor to a variety of

orchids and medicinal plants.

 

Notwithstanding its green wealth, the dilapidated structure of the

main beat office —Meleng Beat Office — and the pathetic condition of

staff quarters speak volumes of the casual attitude of the State

Forest Department. Inadequate manpower, lack of proper sanitary

facilities etc., have hit the staff severely. It is surprising that

even after eight years of being declared a sanctuary, there is

hardly any development worth the name.

 

Perhaps State Forest Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, who got wide

coverage in various newspapers while he was adopting a bear

recently, need to be reminded that the gibbon too is crying for

attention.