7396 golden langurs in India, reveals survey

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

A recent survey conducted by a collaboration of wildlife research and conservation organizations, including the Primate Research Centre NE India (PRCNE), Assam Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), and Conservation Himalayas, has estimated the population of golden langurs in India at 7,396 individuals.

Details:

This endangered primate, Trachypithecusgeei, is found exclusively in the Manas Biosphere Reserve and fragmented forests in western Assam.
The survey was conducted in two phases, first covering the western part of the Manas Biosphere Reserve, including the newly upgraded Raimona National Park and several reserve forests, and then focusing on fragmented habitats in Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, and Dhubri districts. Utilizing the block count method for the first time for golden langurs, the habitat was divided into 51 blocks, surveyed by teams of trained enumerators and forest staff.
The survey identified 7,720 individuals in 706 groups and 31 lone or floating males, leading to an estimated minimum population of 7,396 in 707 groups, including both bisexual and male bands, along with lone males.
The population is divided into two major sub-populations: a northern extended population in the Manas Biosphere Reserve, estimated at 5,566 individuals in 534 groups, and a southern fragmented population estimated at 1,830 langurs in 173 groups.

Golden langur:

Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecusgeei), also known as simply the golden langur, is an Old World monkey found in a small region of Western Assam, India and in the neighbouring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan.
Long considered sacred by many Himalayan people.
Adult males have a cream to golden coat with darker flanks while the females and juveniles are lighter.
It lives in high trees and has aherbivorous diet of fruits, leaves, seeds, buds and flowers
It is one of the most endangered primate species of India and Bhutan.
In 2008-09, there were 6,000 golden langurs in India, which has grown to 7,396 in 2020-21.
IUCN Red List: Endangered
CITES: Appendix-I

Unstable situation:

The latest population estimation reveals that the Ripu Reserve Forest hosts the largest northern population of golden langurs with 2,847 individuals, while the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kokrajhar district harbours the most in the southern fragmented range with 838 langurs.
Despite this population growth, the survey report signals an unstable situation in the golden langurs’ fragmented habitats, primarily due to the absence of non-breeding all-male bands.
To mitigate the challenges posed by this fragmentation and the ensuing anthropogenic threats, the primatologists recommend the creation of corridor linkages among these habitats.
These corridors, potentially established through plantations and canopy bridges, aim to facilitate safer movement for the langurs across their disjointed habitats.

Source: TH