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GIBBON WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is the only
sanctuary in India to be named after a non-human primate, Hoolock gibbon (Hylobates
hoolock).
General Information :
Location: 22 km from Jorhat town and 5 km from Mariani town.
Latitude: 26° 40’-26° 45’ N
Longitude: 94°20’-94°25’ E
Area: 1915.06 Hec.
Altitude: 100-120.
Rainfall: Average 21327 mm
Climate :
Monsoon-season (June, July, August, and September)
Temperature ranges from 33.9-41.5° C.
Relative humidity from 123.3-106.7%.
Rainfall: 1260.5mm.
Winter: (December-February)
Temperature ranges from 11.8- 23.6° C.
Relative humidity ranges from 70.3-94.7%.
Rainfall: 39.7 mm.
Best season: December to February
Approach :
By road : Guwahati-Jorhat-Mariani-Meleng. About 350km from Guwahati
(Assam).
By rail : Guwahati-Mariani.; Local: Meleng
By air : Jorhat (Rowroh).
A Brief History : Before declaring as wildlife Sanctuary its name
was Hollongpar Reserve Forest. It was declared as Reserve Forest during the
reign of British Period i.e. on 27th August 1881(Gazette Notification no
3505r, Dated 27/8/1881). After a period of long demand by the local people
and various NGOs, Assam Govt. decided to declare it as a Wildlife Sanctuary
and named as Gibbon Wild Life Sanctuary (Govt. of Assam, FRS 37/97/13 dated
30/7/97).
BIODIVERSITY :
Faunal Composition : Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is the most diverse
spot for primates in India. Out of 15 species of Primates in India, seven
species of primates are found in Gibbon WLS, which includes:
| Slow lories |
Nyctecebus coucang |
| Rhesus macaque |
Macaca mulatta |
| Assamese macaque |
Macaca assamensis |
| Stum-tailed macaque |
Macaca arctoides |
| Pigtailed macaque |
Macaca nemestrina |
| Capped langur |
Trachypithecus
pileatus |
| Hoolock gibbon |
Hylobates hoolock |
Besides primates there are other mammals
like- Elephant, Tiger, Clouded leopard, Leopard cat, Jungle cat, Indian
civet, Porcupine, Pangolin, Malayan giant squirrel, Barking deer, Sambar,
Wild boar etc.
The Avian diversity of the sanctuary is also
very high and is represented by Hornbill, Racket-tailed Drongo, Parakeets,
Doves, Pegions, Owl, Eagles, Kite, Treepie, Flower peaker, Fly catcher,
Kaleej pheasant, Red jungle fowl, Crow pheasant etc.
Among reptiles Python, Cobra, Monitor lizard
and Tortoise, etc. are found in the sanctuary.
Floral Composition
- Dipterocarpus macrocarpus( Holong)
- Aqualaria agolacha (Agaru or Sachi)
- Terminalia myrocarpa(Halakh)
- Artocarpus chama(Sam)
- Michelia champaka(Titachopa)
- Canarium reiniferum(Dhuna)
- Lagerstoemia flosreginae(Azar)
- Garcinia species(Thekera)
- Sepium buccatum(Selng) and many
more.
Many species of Bamboo viz: Pseudostachym
polymorphum, Bambusa pallida etc, Ferns, Orchid of lots of medicinal
plants.
SALIENT FEATURES :
- Definite sighting of the only ape of India
(Hoolock Gibbon).
- This is one of the few localities of
Stump-tailed and Pigtailed macaques in India.
- Undisturbed forest with diverse floral
composition.
- Well maintained garden of World’s one of
the most highly valued plant Aqualaria agolacha i.e. Agaru or Sachi.
- Only Wildlife Sanctuary in India where
seven species of primates are found.
FACILITIES :
- Good jeepable road crisscrossing the
forest
- Two roomed Forest department’s
Inspection bungalow inside the Forest.
- Moderate Hotels within 5-22km.
For further information contact :
Conservator of Forest
Upper Assam Circle
Jorhat, India.
Assam, India.
Tel: 91-376-320483 (O), 320504 (R)
Divisional Forest Officer,
Jorhat Division,
Jorhat, India.
Assam, India.
Tel: 91-376-320008 (O), 320456 (R).
For Organized Tour write to: Wilderness
Study |
