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Arunachal Forest Staff Trained to Protect India's Only Ape, the Hoolock Gibbon

A conservation training programme was held in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh, to equip forest staff with knowledge and skills to protect the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon, India's only ape. The workshop, a first for the district, was inaugurated by the Divisional Forest Officer, who stressed the state's collective duty to safeguard its state animal. Experts from biodiversity organisation Aaranyak led sessions on the gibbon's status, threats, and the use of GPS technology for wildlife monitoring. The hands-on training involved staff from six forest ranges within the Namsai Forest Division, a potential habitat for the species.

Key Points: Training Boosts Conservation of India's Only Ape in Arunachal

  • Training for endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon
  • First such workshop in Namsai district
  • Focus on GPS & GIS tools for conservation
  • Aim to strengthen forest staff capacity
  • Organized by Aaranyak with govt. support
3 min read

Forest staff trained to protect India's only ape in Arunachal's Namsai

Forest personnel in Arunachal Pradesh trained in Hoolock Gibbon conservation and GPS technology to protect the endangered state animal.

"He emphasised the collective responsibility of the people of the state to safeguard the species. - Tabang Jamoh"

Namsai, February 25

Biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, in collaboration with Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve Authority and with support from Arcus Foundation, organised a Hoolock Gibbon conservation training programme at the headquarters of Namsai Forest Division, Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh.

The training aimed to familiarise forest personnel with the Western Hoolock Gibbon, India's only ape, and to strengthen their motivation and capacity for its conservation.

The Western Hoolock Gibbon is an endangered primate species found in seven northeastern states of India (except Sikkim). Its distribution is largely restricted to the south bank of the Brahmaputra River and areas east of the Dibang River system. The Namsai Forest Division is considered a potential habitat for this endangered species.

The workshop held on February 23 was the first of its kind in both the Namsai Forest Division and Namsai district. The programme was inaugurated by Tabang Jamoh, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Namsai Forest Division, and coordinated by Nandita Medhi, Consultant, Primate Research and Conservation Division, Aaranyak.

In his inaugural address, Jamoh welcomed the participants and expressed his appreciation to Aaranyak for initiating the training in the interest of Western Hoolock Gibbon conservation in Namsai.

He urged participants to actively engage in the sessions and apply their learnings in the field.

Highlighting that the Hoolock Gibbon is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh, he emphasised the collective responsibility of the people of the state to safeguard the species. He also encouraged the forest staff to develop practical skills in the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools for gibbon conservation and broader biodiversity management.

Dilip Chetry, Senior Primatologist, Director and Head of the Primate Research and Conservation Division, Aaranyak, and Vice Chair of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group, South Asia, served as the resource person for the first session.

He discussed the current conservation status of the Western Hoolock Gibbon, the threats it faces, and its conservation priorities. Chetry also elaborated on various methods of population estimation and urged the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department to consider the species as a flagship for regional biodiversity conservation.

Alok Kumar, Range Officer of Tengapani Range, initiated and coordinated an interactive session on Hoolock Gibbon conservation.

The second session was led by Arup Kumar Das, Assistant Director and Head of the Geo-Spatial Technology and Application Division, Aaranyak, who highlighted the application of GPS in wildlife research and monitoring.

A hands-on GPS training session was conducted by Das, along with Simanta Medhi and Akshay Kumar Upadhyaya, covering practical components such as recording waypoints, tracking routes, and assessing proximity.

Twenty participants attended the training, including forest staff from six ranges under the Namsai Forest Division: Namsai, Manabhum, Tengapani, Chowkham, Medo, and Wakro Forest Ranges.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, followed by the distribution of soft-copy study materials and posters on Hoolock Gibbon conservation.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Wonderful initiative. It's heartening to see focused efforts for our only ape species. I hope this training is replicated in other northeastern states where the gibbon is found. Community awareness programmes should be the next step.
D
David E
As someone interested in global wildlife conservation, it's impressive to see India taking such concrete steps for an endangered primate. The collaboration between an NGO, the forest department, and an international foundation is a model worth following.
S
Siddharth J
Good work, but I hope this isn't just a one-off workshop. Conservation needs sustained effort and funding. The forest staff are the real heroes on the front lines; they need continuous support, better equipment, and regular refresher courses.
N
Nisha Z
Proud that Arunachal's state animal is getting this attention! The real challenge is habitat loss due to development projects. Training is great, but policy-level decisions that protect these forests are even more crucial. Jai Hind!
R
Rohit P
More people need to know about this amazing creature. It's India's *only* ape! Articles like this help. Maybe documentaries on DD or other channels can showcase the gibbon and the work of these forest guards.

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