DISTRIBUTIONAL STATUS OF HOOLOCK GIBBON (Bunopithecus hoolock) AND THEIR CONSERVATION IN SOUTHERN ASSAM, INDIA

摘要

Southern Assam is the most diverse primate habitat of the entire Indian subcontinent. Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi are the three southern most districts of Assam with areas of 3,786 km~2, 1, 327 km~2 and 1,839 km~2 respectively. Fifteen Reserved Forests come under the jurisdiction of 2 Forest Divisions (Silchar and Karimganj) in the above three districts. Eight species of non-human primates, viz. Slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis), Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis), Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatto), Stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides), Pig-tailed macaque (Macaca leonind), Capped leaf monkey (Trachypithecus pileatus), Phayre's leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus phayrei) and Hoolock gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) are found in these forest divisions, but no conservation efforts have been taken up to preserve the richest primate habitat of India. Field studies on the distribution on non-human primates of southern Assam had been carried out by Choudhary (1988, 1996), but the findings are from fragmented or isolated field observations. This study aims to find out the distributional status of Hoolock gibbon in southern Assam, and try to identify their habitats for the conservation of non-human primates in general, and Hoolock gibbon in particular.