Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei), an endangered species restricted in a small pocket surrounded by High hills of Bhutan, mighty River Brahmaputra, River Manas and River Sankosh  to the north, south, east and west respectively.

NON-HUMAN PRIMATES IN NORTHEAST INDIA 

The biodiversity have potential value to people through its basic components of genes, which are building blocks for species, which in tern constitute ecosystem. Only through these ecosystems human get their required life supporting biological resources. Therefore, the importance of the biological resources has been demonstrated in all religious, social and cultural circles. However, instead of conserving the rich forest resources, the current process of development in resource use practices has led to depletion of many biological resources at a non-renewable rate.

The moist tropical region of northeast India contains some of the most interesting and unique forests in the world. They have been surviving almost unchanged since the time, 120 million years ago, when India was part of the Gondwana lands. Consequently, these forests, which are differentiated into at least 52 different types by scientists, are now home to one of the world’s highest diversity of plants and animals. Within India the northeast region is the “Biogeographical Gateway” to India’s richest biodiversity zones important for the genetic resources world over. Ironically this is also one of the world’s most threatened area and recent estimates indicate it would not be long when all this will disappear in the next 15 years.

All of our biodiversity is of great importance, but certain group of animals like Primates - the bush babies, Galagos, monkeys and apes, deserves special attention. Primates play important roles in these habitats as seed dispersers, seed predators and even pollinators. Unfortunately wild populations of nonhuman primates are in serious trouble today and survive only in small fragmented forest patches or in the protected areas in Northeast India.

The habitat disturbance and shrinkage are considered as the primary threats to most vertebrate populations including primates. Hunting of primates, for subsistence and subsequently increasing demand in the market in some areas is emerging as a major threat to their continued existence of Primates. Primates are particularly vulnerable to hunting because of their relatively large body size, low reproductive rates and large group size. If the present trends of habitat disturbance, loss of forest cover and hunting continue in the region then we may loose our nearest relatives- the monkeys, the langurs and the apes. Forever!

Out of 15 known species available in India, 9 are found in Northeast India (among the 9 species, except Rhesus macaque and Assamese macaque rest are exclusively found in northeast India) It has also been confirmed by the research team of the Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Assam, the researchers of the Indo-US Primate Project, Northeast center, Guwahati and the members of Aaranyak.

The following table illustrates the legal status of the primates found in northeast India.
Sl. No Common Name Scientific name Status WPA, 1972* Status, IUCN1996 Indo-US Primate Project Survey, 1994-99
1 Stumptailed macaque Macaca arctoides Schedule-II Vulnerable Critically endangered
2 Assamese macaque Macaca assamensis Schedule-II Vulnerable Endangered
3 Pigtailed macaque Macaca nemestrina Schedule-II Vulnerable Critically endangered
4 Rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta Schedule-II Lower Risk Rare1
5 Golden langur Trachypithecus geei Schedule-II Data Deficient Critically endangered
6 Pharyre’s leaf monkey Trachypithecus phayrie ? Data Deficient Critically endangered
7 Capped langur Trachypithecus pileatus Schedule-I Vulnerable Endangered
8 Hoolock gibbon Hylobates hoolock Schedule-I Data Deficient Endangered
9 Slow loris Nycticebus coucang Schedule-I Lower Risk Data Deficient

Act of India, 1972* = Wildlife Protection. 1 = Forest population.  

The members of the Aaranyak in collaboration with Animal Ecology & Wildlife Biology Lab, Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Assam (India), has been involved in the conservation oriented research works on primates

On Going Project : In collaboration with Animal Ecology & Wildlife Biology Lab, Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Assam (India).

  1. Socioecology of Golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) in different habitat of Western Assam, India.

  2. Primate status survey and conservation Priorities in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

For further information on primate of Northeast India contact :
Dilip Chetry
Head, Primatology
AARANYAK
Email: chetryd@rediffmail.com 

© Aaranyak 2005, Email: aaranyak@vsnl.net
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