Hoolock gibbon spotted in Namdapha

MIAO, 11 Jul: A male Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) has been recorded at an elevation of 2,267 metres in the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve.

This is the highest ever elevation at which the species has been documented within the reserve, the park’sauthority said in a release.

The gibbon was captured via camera traps deployed as part of routine wildlife monitoring. While the species is known to occur up to 2,700 metres, this sighting highlights the importance of high-altitude forest ecosystems in the long-term survival of this rare primate, NTR&TR CF and Field Director Arup Kumar Deka stated in a release.

The Hoolock gibbon is India’s only ape species and is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, affording it the highest level of legal protection. The species is endemic to Northeast India and parts of Southeast Asia, with its survival dependent on intact forest canopies for movement and feeding.

“This record not only reinforces the ecological value of Namdapha’s upper elevations but also calls attention to the need for greater conservation focus on montane habitats,” RFO Biri Karba said.

“As climate patterns shift and lowland habitats become increasingly fragmented, mid-altitude forests may become critical refuges for species like the Hoolock gibbon,” Deka said in the release.

This significant finding is credited to the field team of the Namdapha wildlife range and its research wing, whose dedicated efforts made this documentation possible.

“Their work continues to shed light on the unique and fragile biodiversity of the Eastern Himalayas,” Deka said.

The Namdapha Tiger Reserve is one of India’s most ecologically diverse protected areas, spanning a wide attitudinal gradient from tropical rainforests to alpine meadows. The presence of the Hoolock gibbon at this elevation is a strong indicator of the area’s ecological significance and the pressing need to conserve such landscapes, the release added.