Doom Dooma: Taking cognizance of the heart-wrenching viral video of a two-month-old Golden Langur desperately trying to wake up its mother killed by a speeding vehicle in Assam, wildlife activists of the state are voicing concern and calling for stringent measures to prevent such incidents.
Devajit Moran, a renowned wildlife activist, has appealed to the state government to take immediate and stern action to check illegal deforestation in the state.
“We humbly request the state government to take strict measures to protect the wildlife of Assam, otherwise, nothing would be left for future generations,” Moran told EastMojo.
“Every day our forests are being destroyed due to which forest’s land are shrinking. One of the major causes of the destruction is illegal encroachment of the forest land. Industries are being established and roads are being constructed after cutting down trees. As a result, wildlife are losing their habitats. When they come out in public places in search of food, they are killed in such accidents,” Moran added.
Golden langur, an endangered primate, is found only in a small area in western Assam and the foothills of neighboring Bhutan.
In a video that went viral, the infant was seen crying and desperately trying to wake up the dead mother and refused to leave her for nearly an hour, till locals rescued the baby. The mother and the child had come down from a tree in search of food when the former was hit by a speeding vehicle in Kakoijana area of Bongaigaon district.
This was the second incident of a Golden langur being run over by a speeding vehicle in the region in the last three days. An adult male was killed in a similar fashion in Nayekgaon area in Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.
Experts have pointed out that many trees were cut down for the four-laning of a National Highway passing through the area, adversely affecting the continuity of natural canopy bridges, and thus forcing the primates to cross the road in search of food.
Primate Reaserch Centre NE , an NGO, has urged the administration to construct artificial canopy bridges in vulnerable areas. The NGO’S founder Jihosuo Biswas said they have received permission to construct a few such artificial canopy bridges in Nayekgaon area of Kokrajhar.
The incident has evoked an emotional outcry among many animal lovers in the state.
EASTMOJO PREMIUM
Help sustain honest journalism.
Wildlife photographer Sanjib Gohain Boruah said, “It was heart rendering to see the infant Golden Langur trying to wake up its dead mother. Authorities should take adequate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Frequent felling of trees has forced animals to come out of their habitats in search of food.”
“Alternative arrangements should be made to ensure that animals are not exposed to threats to their lives when developments works are undertaken,” the former bureaucrat added.
Also read | Assam: Baby Golden Langur tries to wake up mother killed by speeding car