They look so bright and paint a gorgeous sight but sadly, it seems that the Golden Langurs will not be around for much longer. Found in North-eastern parts of India, the State of Assam to be precise; the Golden Langur is an endangered species and much needs to be done to ensure that the future generations of India are not resigned to only reading about it in book. The beautiful Monkey is on a path to extinction.
Primarily found in North-Eastern regions of India and in parts of Bhutan, the total population of one of the most endangered primate species of India is not more than a few-thousands.
That they exist in India must itself be news to many. Well, it ought to be when the news channels and news papers in India are busy chasing and counting the tigers, which is not a bad thing, but apart from the tigers of India, the truth is that there are many other species of animal that are at the brink of total extinction in the country.
The IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species classifies this species as Endangered. The IUCN justifies the ‘endangered’ tag for the Golden Langur by stating that they have, “witnessed a serious population decline, estimated to be more than 50% over the last (thirty years), inferred from observed reduction in the extent of its habitat; and because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, there is an observed continuing decline in the number of mature individuals, and no sub-population contains more than 250 mature individuals.”
Interestingly, although the Golden Langurs have long been considered holy by the Himalayan people, they, as a unique species, came to the attention of scientists only in the late 1950s. Known for its majestic golden coat and a long bushy tail, the Golden Langur, endemic to India and Bhutan, is limited to a small forest belt in western Assam and Bhutan between the river Manas in the east, River Sankosh in the west and the Brahmaputra in the south.
Zoologists refer to these monkeys using their scientific name, Trachypithecus geei and it was EP Gee, a well-known naturalist who discovered this species and hence the ‘geei’ suffix.
The Langurs are mostly found in moist evergreen, dipterocarp, riverine, and moist deciduous forests, and occasionally in degraded habitats with secondary growth. Those actively involved in wildlife conservation in Assam say the major reason for the dwindling count of the species is deforestation from illegal logging, wood-cutting and also by illegal encroachment and thereby forcing the monkeys into fragmented forests pockets. New lifestyle choices such as the new fad by young locals towards eating primate meat, is also being blamed for the dwindling numbers of the Langurs.
Well, the picture is not that bleak as efforts are afoot to revive the dying species.
Scientists at the Bodoland University are working towards test tube production of the endangered Golden Langur, using the embryo-transfer technology. Vice-chancellor, Bodoland University, Mohan Lal Brahma has been quoted by a reputed Indian daily as saying, “Embryo-transfer techniques have been applied to nearly every species of domestic animal and many species of wildlife and exotic animals. The population of the golden langur is fast declining because of various reasons and unless something is done immediately, this exotic animal will soon disappear from this earth. So it is our responsibility to increase the population of the species.”
He goes on to cite the practical convenience of going ahead with the plan. He states, “Our University is quite close to the Manas National Park, where the Golden Langur is found, hence it would be easy to carry out the embryo transfer process.”
If the Bodoland University is successful in this, the future of the Manas National Park would also stand bright, for several tourists and wildlife enthusiasts visit the National Park to spot the Golden Langur.
Interestingly, according to reliable reports, the Assam-state-zoo-cum-botanical garden is also thinking about building a conservation-breeding centre for the Golden Langurs on its premises. Once completed, the facility promises to be a big boon to researchers and if the project tastes success, according to reports, at least 100 Golden Langurs could be nurtured, which could be then released in the wild, news that is definitely encouraging
Ultimately it behooves of us as a country to tackle the real reasons causing the steady decline of the Golden Langur. Whether by legislating policies or enforcing policies already in place to sort out issues to do with human encroachment, which involves finding out the reasons why so many people are taking to the forests, with regards to illegal logging, the solutions here may lie in cheap and renewable energy sources as well educating the locals on the importance of the monkeys in the bio-diversity chain. Also education to change attitudes and behavior such as eating primate meat, while still being respectful to any culture or tradition, past and present in the concerned areas.
It is upon us to realize that the delicate balance of the earth is at stake and one endangered species puts everything else in danger.
About the Author
