Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2019, 67(1), 25-39 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201967010025

Distribution of Western Hoolock Gibbons and Nutritional Status of Food Plants in Cachar District of Assam, India: Reaching Out to Local Communities for Conservation

Mitrajit Deb1, Shubhadeep Roychoudhury1, Parimal C. Bhattacharjee2, Indu Sharma3, Sunil Nautiyal4, Petr Sláma5
1 Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar 788011, India
2 Wildlife Trust of India, Guwahati 781012, Assam, India
3 Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar 788011, India
4 Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru 560072, India
5 Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology and Genetics, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic

Western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is listed as an endangered mammal in IUCN Red List. It is also listed in CITES Appendix I and in the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. In the present work the status and distribution of Western hoolock gibbons in Cachar district of Assam, India was explored by conducting field studies from September 2012 to August 2013 using line transect and call count methods. Group composition, group size and adult sex ratio of nine gibbon groups and one solitary male were recorded. Groups comprised 36 % adult males, 32 % adult females, 10 % sub-adult males, 11 % juveniles and 11 % infants and the encounter rate was 0.17. Group size ranged from 2 to 5 and mean group size was 2.8 ± 1.1. Nutritional status of food plants consumed by Western hoolock gibbons were analyzed and chemical composition was determined. Proximate analysis revealed that the mean value of crude protein (9.73 ± 0.4), crude fibre (16.1 ± 0.6), ether extract (1.07 ± 0.06), NFE (66.24 ± 0.43) and ash (7.03 ± 0.27) in plant samples. A moderate positive correlation was noted between higher protein content and higher crude fibre content in food plants (r = 0.48), which is likely to influence food selection and feeding pattern. Timber felling, fuel-wood collection, agriculture and expansion of tea estates were identified as major threats to conservation of Western hoolock gibbons. The present study recommends taking up awareness programmes and formulation of policy interventions involving the local communities to arrive at a participatory biodiversity conservation plan at local levels particularly involving the village councils (gram panchayats).

Keywords: Western hoolock gibbon, distribution, Cachar, food plant, nutrition, conservation, policy, local community
Grants and funding:

The authors thank Dr. Kashmira Kakati, wildlife biologist and Dr. Kuladip Sarma, wildlife researcher for their help in the preparation of the manuscript. The authors also thank Udayan Borthakur of Aaranyak, Guwahati, India for support. Thanks are due to Arup Das of Aaranyak for help in preparation of map. The cooperation from tea garden officials, Gram Panchayats and local villagers from the study areas are thankfully acknowledged. Mitrajit Deb was supported by UGC BSR fellowship from the Government of India.

Received: October 6, 2018; Accepted: January 10, 2019; Published: February 28, 2019  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Deb, M., Roychoudhury, S., Bhattacharjee, P.C., Sharma, I., Nautiyal, S., & Sláma, P. (2019). Distribution of Western Hoolock Gibbons and Nutritional Status of Food Plants in Cachar District of Assam, India: Reaching Out to Local Communities for Conservation. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 67(1), 25-39. doi: 10.11118/actaun201967010025

Corrigenda to this article were published in: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 2019, 67(4): 913-913. https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun201967040913

Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. ALFRED, J. 1992. The hoolock gibbon - Hylobates hoolock. Primate Report, 34: 65-69.
    2. ALFRED, J. and SATI, J. 1986. The gibbons with special reference to Hylobates hoolock. In: MAJUPURIA, T. (Ed.). Wildlife wealth of India, resources and management. Bangkok, Thailand.
    3. ALFRED, J. and SATI, J. 1990. Survey and census of the hoolock gibbon in West Garo Hills, Northeast India. Primates, 31(2): 299-306. DOI: 10.1007/BF02380951 Go to original source...
    4. BLAUSTEIN, A., WAKE, D. and SOUSA, W. 1994. Amphibian declines: Judging stability, persistence, and susceptibility of populations to local and global extinctions. Conservation Biology, 8(1): 60-71. DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1739.1994.08010060.x Go to original source...
    5. BROCKELMAN, W. and ALI, R. 1987. Methods of Surveying and Sampling Forest Primate Populations. In: MARSH, C. W. and MITTERMEIER, R. A. (Eds.). Primate Conservation in the Tropical Rain Forest. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc.
    6. BROCKELMAN, W., MOLUR, S. and GEISSMANN, T. 2008. Hoolock hoolock. Red List. [Online]. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/39876/0 [Accessed: 2017, June 4].
    7. BURNHAM, K., ANDERSON, D. and LAAKE, J. 1980. Estimate of density from line transect sampling of biological populations. Wildlife Monographs No. 72. Allen Press.
    8. CACHAR-DISTRICT, GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM. 2017. Government of Assam: Cachar district. [Online]. Available at: www.cachar.gov.in [Accessed: 2017, June 4].
    9. CHAMPION, H. AND SETH, S. 1968. A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. New Delhi, India: The Manager of Publication.
    10. CHOUDHURY, A. 1987. Notes on the distribution and conservation of Phayre's leaf monkey and hoolock gibbon in India. Tiger Paper, 14(2): 2-6.
    11. CHOUDHURY, A. 1990. Population dynamics of hoolock gibbons (Hylobates hoolock) in Assam, India. American Journal of Primatology, 20(1): 37-41. DOI: 10.1002/ajp.1350200106 Go to original source...
    12. CHOUDHURY, A. 1991. Ecology of the hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock), a lesser ape in the tropical forests of north-eastern India. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 7(1): 147-153. DOI: 10.1017/S0266467400005228 Go to original source...
    13. CHOUDHURY, A. 1996. A survey of hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock) in southern Assam, India. Primate Report, 44: 77-85.
    14. CHOUDHURY, A. 2001. Primates in Northeast India: An overview of their distribution and conservation. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas, 1(1): 92-101.
    15. DAS, J., BISWAS, J., BHATTACHERJEE, P. C. and MOHNOT, S. 2009. The Distribution and Abundance of Hoolock Gibbons in India. In: WHITTAKER, D. J. (Ed.) The Gibbons: New Perspectives on Small Ape Socioecology and Population Biology. Springer ScienceţBusiness Media, LLC. Go to original source...
    16. DAS, J., BHATTACHARJEE, P. C., BISWAS, J. and CHETRY, D. 2005. Western Hoolock Gibbon: Socioecology, threats and conservation action plan. Guwahati: Department of Zoology, Gauhati University and Primate Research Centre, North-east Centre.
    17. DAS, J. and BHATTACHERJEE, P. C. 2002. Effect of habitat destruction on behaviour and ecology of hoolock gibbon. In: Caring for Primates: 19th Congress of the International Primatological Society. Beijing, China.
    18. DAS, J., FEEROZ, M., ISLAM, M. A., BISWAS, J., BUJARBORUA, P., CHETRY, D., MEDHI, R. and BOSE, J. 2003. Distribution of Hoolock Gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock hoolock) in India and Bangladesh. Zoos' Print Journal, 18(1): 969-976. DOI: 10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.18.1.969-76 Go to original source...
    19. DEB, M., SUDIP, C., SHARMA, I. C., BHATTACHARJEE, P., FORMICK, G., BULLA, J. and ROYCHOUDHURY, S. 2014. Nutritional stress in western hoolock gibbon due to adverse changes in diet pattern. The Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, 4: 152-156. DOI: 10.15414/jmbfs.2014.4.2.152-156 Go to original source...
    20. ESI. 2012. Economic Survey Assam. Government Of Assam, Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
    21. FEEROZ, M. and ISLAM, M. A. 1992. Ecology and behaviour of hoolock gibbons of Bangladesh. Dhaka: MARC (Multidisciplinary Action Research Centre).
    22. FSI. 2015. State of Forest Report. Forest Survey of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests.
    23. GEISSMANN, T. 2007. Status reassessment of the gibbons: results of the Asian primate Red List workshop 2006. Gibbon Journal, 3: 5-15.
    24. GITTINS, S. 1984. The distribution and status of the hoolock gibbon in Bangladesh. In: H. PREUSCHOFT, D. J. C., BROCKELMA, W. Y. and CREEL, N. (Eds.). The lesser apes. Evolutionary and behavioural biology. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.
    25. GUPTA, A. 1994. Status and conservation of non-human primates in Tripura, India. In: THIERRY B, A. J., ROEDER J. J. and HERRENSCHMIDT, N. (Eds.) Current Primatology. Strasbourg: Université Louis-Pasteur.
    26. GUPTA, A. 2005. Conservation of hoolock gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) in Northeast India. Project No. 98210-2-G153. Wildlife Institute of India and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
    27. GUPTA, A. and SHARMA, N. 2005. Conservation status of hoolock gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) in Meghalaya. Project. No. 98210-2-G153, Conservation of Hoolock Gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) in Northeast India. Wildlife Institute of India and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
    28. ISLAM, M., CHOUDHURY, P. and BHATTACHARJEE, P. C. 2013a. Survey and census of hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in the Inner-Line Reserve Forest and the adjoining areas of Cachar district, Assam, India. Folia Primatol. (Basel), 84(3-5): 170-179. DOI: 10.1159/000351695 Go to original source...
    29. ISLAM, M., CHOUDHURY, P. and BHATTACHARJEE, P. C. 2013b. Preliminary study on Population status and Activity budgeting of Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in the Inner-line Reserved Forest of Barak valley, Assam, India. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 3(3): 1-8.
    30. ISLAM, M., CHOUDHURY, P. and BHATTACHARJEE, P. C. 2014. Canopy utilization pattern of Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock Hoolock (Mammalia: Primates: Hylobatidae) in the Inner-line Reserve Forest of Barak Valley, Assam, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 6(9): 6222-6229. DOI: 10.11609/JoTT.o3800.6222-9 Go to original source...
    31. ISLAM, M. A., FEEROZ, M. M., MUZAFFAR, S. B., KABIR, M. M. and BEGUM, S. 2006. Hoolock gibbon conservation in Bangladesh. Conservation of Hoolock Gibbons of Bangladesh. Bangladesh: United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
    32. KAKATI, K. 1997. Food selection and ranging in hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock Harlan 1834) in Borajan Reserved Forest. MSc Thesis. Saurashtra University.
    33. KAKATI, K. 2004. Impact on forest fragmentation on the hoolock gibbon in Assam, India. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Cambridge.
    34. KAKATI, K., RAGHAVAN, R., CHELLAM, R. and QURESHI, Q. 2009. Status of Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) Populations in Fragmented Forests of Eastern Assam. Primate Conservation, 24: 127-137. DOI: 10.1896/052.024.0111 Go to original source...
    35. KUMAR, A., MARY, P. and BAGCHIE, P. 2009. Present distribution, population status, and conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbons Hoolock hoolock (Primates: Hylobatidae) in Namdapha National Park, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 1(4): 203-210. DOI: 10.11609/JoTT.o1955.203-10 Go to original source...
    36. MOLUR, S. 2005. Conservation of western hoolock gibbon (hoolock hoolock hoolock) in India and Bangladesh: Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (P.H.V.A.). Workshop report. Coimbatore: Zoo Outreach Organisation in collaboration with Wildlife Information & Liaison Development Society.
    37. MOOTNICK, A. and GROVES, C. 2005. A new generic name for the hoolock gibbon (Hylobatidae). International Journal of Primatology, 26(4): 971-976. DOI: 10.1007/s10764-005-5332-4 Go to original source...
    38. MUKHERJEE, R. 1982. Survey of non-human primates of Tripura, India. Journal of the Zoological Society of India, 34(1-2): 70-81.
    39. MUKHERJEE, R. 1986. The ecology of the hoolock gibbon, H. hoolock, in Tripura, India. In: ELSE, J. G. and LEE, P. C. (Ed.). Primate ecology and conservation. Cambridge, UK and London, UK: Cambridge University Press.
    40. MUKHERJEE, R., CHAUDHURI, S. and MURMU, A. 1988. Hoolock gibbons in Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India: Lohit District. Primate Conservation, 9: 121-123.
    41. NRC. 1981. Techniques for the Study of Primate Population Ecology. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
    42. OSADA, N. 2015. Genetic diversity in humans and non-human primates and its evolutionary consequences. Genes Genet. Syst., 90(3): 133-145. DOI: 10.1266/ggs.90.133 Go to original source...
    43. PRAMOD, A., KUMARA, V. and GOWDA, H. 2012. Encounter rate of large mammals in Thanigebyle range of Bhadra wildlife sanctuary, Karnataka. International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 2(9): 9-11.
    44. RAY, P., KUMAR, A. and DEVI, A. 2015. Habitat Characteristics and Their Effects on the Density of Groups of Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Int J Primatol. 36: 445-459. DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9834-4 Go to original source...
    45. ROMERO-HERRERA, A., LEHMANN, H., JOYSEY, K. and FRIDAY, A. 1973. Molecular Evolution of Myoglobin and the Fossil Record: A Phylogenetic Synthesis. Nature, 264: 389-395. DOI: 10.1038/246389a0 Go to original source...
    46. RYAN, C., GRANT, P., TIGBE, W. and GRANAT, M. 2006. The validity and reliability of a novel activity monitor as a measure of walking. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(9): 779-784. DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.027276 Go to original source...
    47. SATI, J. and ALFRED, J. (Eds.). 1986. The gibbons with special reference to Hylobates hoolock. Bangkok, Thailand.
    48. SRIVASTAVA, A. and MOHNOT, S. 2001. Distribution, conservation status and priorities for primates in Northeast India. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas, 1: 102-108.
    49. SUSAN, D. and CARA, L. 2003. Determining Measurement Error in Digital Pedometers. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 7(1): 19-24. Go to original source...
    50. TILSON, R. 1979. On the behaviour of the hoolock gibbons (Hylobates hoolock) during different seasons in Assam, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 76(1): 1-16.
    51. WALKER, S. and MOLUR, S. 2007. Guide to South Asian Primates for Teachers and Students of All Ages. Coimbatore, India: Zoo Outreach Organisation.
    52. WALKER, S., MOLUR, S., BROCKELMAN, W., DAS, J., ISLAM, A., GEISSMANN, T. and FAN, P.-F. 2009. Western hoolock gibbon Hoolock hoolock (Harlan, 1831). In: MITTERMEIER R. A. et al. (Eds.). Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates 2008-2010. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group (PSG), International Primatological Society (IPS), and Conservation International (CI).

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content