Guwahati: The third edition of Primate Watch brought together 19 participants at Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam’s Jorhat district on Saturday to raise awareness about primate conservation, with a focus on the Western Hoolock Gibbon, India’s only ape species.
Organised on October 25, the programme aimed to familiarise participants with the threats facing primates and encourage greater public participation in conservation efforts.
The participants included students, professionals, a medical practitioner, a faculty member of Mariani College and staff members of Aaranyak’s Primate Research and Conservation Division.
Dr Dilip Chetry, director and head of Aaranyak’s Primate Research and Conservation Division, delivered a presentation on primates, the threats they face and measures needed to protect them. He also highlighted the ecological significance of the Western Hoolock Gibbon.
The programme’s highlight was a two-hour trek through the sanctuary, during which participants observed a group of Western Hoolock Gibbons and a group of Rhesus Macaques in their natural habitat.
Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is home to seven primate species and is an important site for primate research and conservation in Northeast India.
Following the trek, participants shared their observations and discussed opportunities to engage in future conservation activities in collaboration with Aaranyak.
They received certificates of participation, along with posters and stickers featuring the Western Hoolock Gibbon.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Chetry, who acknowledged the participants’ contributions.
Primate Watch 3.0 sought to strengthen public engagement in wildlife conservation by combining awareness sessions with direct field experience, encouraging sustained efforts to protect the Western Hoolock Gibbon and other primates in the region.
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