Researchers from Aaranyak are working towards the conservation of the endangered Hoolock gibbon in Northeast India. A week-long training programme was recently completed for forest guards, foresters, and range officers in Jorhat, Assam, to enhance their knowledge of Hoolock gibbon conservation.
The training course focused on biodiversity and conservation in Northeast India, particularly the Western Hoolock gibbon, India’s only ape. It also included field research, data collection, habitat restoration, and rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned gibbons.
The 30 participants in the training programme, including 30 forest guards, foresters, and range officers from seven states of Northeast India, will now work towards the implementation of research and conservation activities in the region.
The Director of the Primate Research and Conservation Division of Aaranyak, Dr Dilip Chetry, expressed hope that the training will strengthen the capacities of the frontline staff and contribute to the effective conservation of the endangered species.
The absence of basic information and poor conservation awareness about the species among the people working in the forest is one of the major threats to the survival of the gibbons, said conservation scientist Dr Chetry.
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The training programme is a collaboration between the Aaranyak, the Jorhat Forest Division of the Assam Forest Department, The Habitats Trust, the IUCN SSC Primate Specialists Group, and the IUCN Primate section of small apes. It is hoped that the enhanced knowledge and skills of the participants will help in the effective implementation of research and conservation activities that will contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
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