Hoolock gibbon in Mizoram and Saiha.

Samrakshan's efforts in Saiha district on conservation education and awareness focuss on India's only ape - the Hoolock gibbon (hahuk or veitu).

In this post we share some of the records of the primate (pertaining to Mizoram and Saiha) that we have been able to collate.

Rev. R A Lorrain, 1907.

The Gibbon Ape is seen swinging from branch to branch, calling out with its weird, hollow sound. These Gibbon Apes have no tails, and are the nearest approach to human beings that I have ever seen. One thing I have noticed about Gibbon Apes, which does not appear to be mentioned in natural history, is that the female is nearly always grey whilst the males are dark, and it is quite a picture to see these noble animals caring for their young; and there is no nicer pet that one can wish for than a young Gibbon Ape, which will soon learn to care for one and throw its arms around your neck as if it were a child.

The trees were swarmed with long-tailed monkeys and Gibbon Apes, the latter making no end of noise as the boats approached.

The cries of the Gibbon Apes were on every hand, and the experience was indeed a pleasant one to those on an adventurous mind.

A K Gupta and Narayan Sharma, 2005.

Remoteness of the region coupled with absence of Protected Areas has ensured minimal research on these Hoolock gibbons occurring in Mizoram.

A total of 72 gibbon groups were identified from 7 different populations in Mizoram covering an area of about 298sq kms in all the districts of Mizoram. The survey local included all the existing and proposed Protected Areas and Reserved Forests. Out of the 72 groups recorded in the study, as many as 37 groups (51.4%) were outside the boundary of either Protected Areas of Reserved Forests.

Most Hoolock gibbon groups in Mizoram are found in degraded and abandoned jhum areas of village forests. Most of the forested areas are under the control of the communities. This peculiar situation and the fact that most of the Hoolock gibbon groups and for that matter other wildlife species too are not under the direct control of the forest authorities, do call for great efforts to make the participatory conservation approach more effective. The importance of conservation education to this effect will be immense and has to be adopted with focused approach keeping in mind the target communities.

A. U. Choudhury, 2006.

Hoolock gibbons occur in all the districts, namely: Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Mamit, Saiha, and Serchhip. The main populations, however, survive in Champhai, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Mamit, and Saiha districts. Some of the best rainforest of northeast India is found in southern Mizoram, covering parts of the districts of Lawngtlai and Saiha and has relatively good gibbon populations. There are sizeable populations in southern Saiha and Lawngtlai districts.

Sources -

Choudhury A. U. (2006). The distribution and status of Hoolock Gibbon, Hoolock Hoolock in Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland in north east India. Primate Conservation 2006 (20): 79–87

Gupta A. K. and Narayan Sharma. (2005). Conservation status of Hoolock Gibbon in Mizoram. (in). Conservation of Hoolock Gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) in northeast India. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas, Vol. 8. No. 1, pp 27 – 86.

Reginald Lorrain (1912) 5 Years in Unknown Jungles, Lakher Pioneer Mission. London, 264 pages.

We thank Christy Williams for the photograph (its from Assam though)!