Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary

Aug. 1, 2024

An approval by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for exploratory oil and gas drilling in parts of Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, may put the endangered Hoolock Gibbon at further risk.

About Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary:

  • It is an isolated protected area of evergreen forest located in the Jorhat district of Assam.
  • It was given the status of a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1997 by the Assam Government. 
  • It is the only sanctuary in India named after a gibbon due to its distinction for containing the densest gibbon populations in Assam.
  • Situated at an altitude between 100 and 120 m (330 and 390 ft), the topography gently slopes downward from southeast to northwest.
  • River: The Bhogdoi River creates a waterlogged region dominated by semi-hydrophytic plants along the border of the sanctuary.
  • Flora: 
  • The upper canopy of the forest is dominated by the Hollong tree, while the Nahar dominates the middle canopy. 
  • The lower canopy consists of evergreen shrubs and herbs.
  • Fauna: 
  • It contains India’s only gibbons–the hoolock gibbons, and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate–the Bengal slow loris. 
  • Also found at the sanctuary are Indian elephants, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, wild boar, three types of civet, four types of squirrels, stump-tailed macaque, northern pig-tailed macaque, etc.