Helping Hoolocks

The National Green Corps (NGC) has come out with a publication “Young in Green Action – Inspiring stories from the National Green Corps’.

We have made efforts to work with existing Eco Clubs in the region and our efforts at Saiha have been stated in here as a case study from Mizoram “Helping Hoolocks”. 

Further information on the publication is up at ~ http://www.paryavaranmitra.in/NGCcasestudy.htm

Glad to share the text and images below. 

It all started with the exhibition. In 2008, the Don Bosco School in Saiha hosted the annual science exhibition organized by the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) of Mizoram. ‘Conservation of Natural Resources’ was the theme of the exhibition. Under this theme, the NGO, eco-club students and the teacher in-charge of the school decided to focus on the conservation of Hoolock Gibbons, in consultation with Samrakshan Trust, an ngo. For this purpose, eco club members had to collect information on Gibbon species. Under guidance of Samrakshan Trust a survey was undertaken on Hoolock gibbons in Saiha town.

The Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is the only ape species found in India and restricted to the forests of North East. The arboreal ape is classified as endangered. It has been on the list of the world’s most endangered 25 primates since 2006.  Primarily a vegetarian species, Hoolocks are today threatened due to many reasons, habitat destruction and fragmentation being the major. The main reason for habitat destruction and fragmentation in Mizoram is stated to be the traditional method of jhum cultivation practised by the local population that has led to the decline of Hoolock gibbons. Besides habitat destruction killing of these animals for meat, blood and bones is another reason for their sharp decline.

Samrakshan Trust is promoting education for conservation of the Hoolock Gibbons. The trust works with a number of target groups including village councils, local NGOs and the Don Bosco on this issue. The Trust works closely with teachers of Don Bosco School. The teachers in turn engage in activity based conservation education with students to save Hoolock Gibbons. So some of the information on the primate has been collected from the trust reports. In order to assess people’s awareness and perception and awareness of this rare species, eco club students have carried out a survey. They have developed an objective based multiple choice questionnaire for this purpose. Some of the questions include details of the colour of primate; primary habitat (for example, forests or habitations); the average life span and group size of the primate; number of young ones the female gives birth at a time, movement of primates through the forest and their eating habits. Students under the guidance of their teacher in-charge Biswajit Singha and Nimesh Ved from Samrakshan Trust interviewed 50 individuals picked up from various locations in the town. The survey was undertaken in two languages; English and Mizo (local language). Analysis of the findings, to the surprise of the students, reflected that most people were aware that the primate was under threat and that its population had reduced. The belief that the consumption of blood and meat of the Gibbon cures diseases, though myth, had resulted in the hunting of the animal resulting in its decline.

Students put the information gathered from the Trust and their survey report together and set up an exhibit, which included graphs, photos, tables and important facts and information. This was a popular exhibit in the annual science exhibition organized by the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) of Mizoram. The exhibition was attended by students of 30 schools, thus spreading the awareness on Gibbons and their conservation to larger student population.

This initiative demonstrates how students can be tutored to become young conservation researchers. Conveying the Gibbon facts after a good amount of research and analysis of the results only demonstrates the importance of systematic process employed by the eco club teacher in-charge with the help of the Trust which is noteworthy.

Wildlife Week 2010

We participated in Wildlife Week 2010 Action with the forest department. This was at the district headquarters of Lawngtlai and 3 villages near the Blue Mountain National Park; Bualpui, Lungpher and Cheural. The beautiful views the trip offered cemented my desire to put in time at the Phawngpui National Park; as it is also referred to. Frequent mention of bears (savawm) during the trip did come as a surprise, albeit a pleasant one; From my interactions I am given to understand that both the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) and the Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) occur in these forests. 

Rains did remind us of the extended monsoons that we have enjoyed this year.  Rainbow over the rolling South Mizoram hills and the view of Kolodyne (Kaladan) warranted breaks in the drive. We were on our way to participate in the program at the Lawngtlai College. The wagtails (Lailen) that gave us company during our travels during the week were fun. They flew ahead of our vehicle, about 3 to 4 feet above the ground. Their flight was along the curves of the road and at a safe distance from the vehicle. One occasion had 3 of them flying in unison for a while after which they veered off the road, one by one. Streams along the roads presented higher chances of them being sighted when compared to other spots! 

Pu Tlana seen above talking on Wildlife in Mizoram at the College is the Divisional Forest Officer at Lawngtlai. Has an enviable collection of images from various wildlife rich areas in Mizoram. To him, Environment and forest department of Mizoram and Lawngtlai college we are thankful for the event. Their campus at Lawngtlai is wonderful; a Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) or the A-bai (Biang) was recently sighted and photographed. The photograph made me believe that mortals like me too could see the species in wild!

The above slide formed a part of my presentation at the College. I had put in images depicting our actions in the initial slides and issues that I understand plague wildlife in these parts in the later slides. I was also eager to use fresh images. This slide in particular was to question the practice of having trophies (from wildlife derivatives) in houses in today's times ! While my questions on identification of the Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak) (Sakhi) and the tortoise (Satel) met with immediate responses the discussions on other 2 images were interesting. Students of course were able to identify each of them correctly. With my presentation began the rains and it was fun to speak out loudly to be audible over the back ground music that the water pouring on tin roof composed!

We had fun setting up the projector, speakers, laptop for film-screening and presentation in the Community Hall at Cheural. We put up posters and also screened Kalyan Varma's film - A Hunter's Tale. This film based in Arunachal Pradesh depicts wildlife that also occurs in these parts. The presentation had people asking details of compensation on account of damage caused by wildlife! 

We had a separate session at Cheural for our young friends during which they had a good time ! Cartoon sequences talking of wildlife (in Mizo) and messages on wildlife by popular Mizo artists that Pu Tlana showcased were a BIT HIT ! 

Some of these young friends then came to surrender their catapults. It was indeed touching with even the unfinished ones being handed over ! With 2 of them I put in some time to understand how they make and use them. Catapults are a major reason for birds in these parts being shy! During my walk early morning I had come across Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata), Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons) and Rufous-fronted Babbler (Stachyris rufifrons) !


At Lungpher where we then went we enjoyed with the children to the extent that we forgot to make use of our cameras! Their father told me of Saza and Sathar not being very difficult to sight around the cliffs; and of their also being hunted ! These are the Serow (Naemorhedus sumatraensis) and Goral (Naemorhedus goral)!

At Bualpui too a large number of students participated in the program ! We had presentations as also screened the film again. This time however we had lots of questions for the participants! 

We returned to Saiha but not before feeling overwhelmed with the love and affection we got during the trip. People went out of their way to make us comfortable; like at the meal above. For these amazing times we shall never be able to thank our hosts and others we got to be with enough! 


Roshni's blog has more on these amazing times here.