(IN): Pesticide ban in langur habitat

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http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090324/jsp/northeast/story_10711812.jsp

Pesticide ban in langur habitat

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Guwahati, March 23:* The Assam forest department is considering short-term

measures to ban the use of pesticides in areas of animal habitat following

the recent deaths of two golden langurs from poisoning in Kokrajhar.

 

The College of Veterinary Sciences here has confirmed that organo-chlorine

pesticide poisoning caused the deaths of the two langurs in Kokrajhar in

February.

 

“The pesticide is used in tea and rubber gardens, though in this case the

deaths were reported from a rubber garden. But it is a threat and the root

cause of the poison will have to be ascertained and suitably dealt with.

Further, an immediate short-term management plan that bans the use of

insecticide has to be chalked out,” the divisional forest officer

(wildlife), Kokrajhar, Sonali Ghosh, said.

 

A letter has been sent to the conservator of forests, Kokrajhar, for

necessary action.

 

The term organochlorine refers to a wide range of organic chemicals, which

contain chlorine and sometimes several other elements.

 

“There were deaths of langurs earlier also but the cause could not be

confirmed. But now that we know the cause, firm measures needs to be taken,”

the official said.

 

He said insecticide poisoning is likely to impact the 120-odd golden langur

population in the rubber garden.

 

“If the organochlorine pesticide has percolated into the soil or water so as

to cause mortality among animals, it then needs to be banned in the entire

district by competent authorities,” the official said.

 

The golden langur survey conducted by Kokrajhar wildlife division, the

Bodoland Territorial Council in association with Primate Research Centre NE

India , Guwahati, has found that the estimated population of the endemic

langurs is now 5,141.

 

“A small percentage of juvenile and infant suggests low birth rate and

depict high mortality during the subsequent stage before attaining maturity

and hence the populations are demographically unstable,” says Jihosuo Biswas

of the PRCNE.

 

Altogether 4,231 golden langurs were observed in the northern distribution

range of the animal starting from the Sankosh river in the east to the Manas

river in the west while the figure in the southern range was 910.

 

Golden langur (*Trachypithecus geei*) is an endemic primate found within the

forest limits of the BTC. Because of its high endemicity and restricted

number, it is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,

1972, endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Red Data Book and Appendix-1 of the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species.

 

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