Guwahati: A golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) was sighted on Friday at Ulubari (Dahudi) in Assam’s Nalbari district, a region far from its typical forest habitat. The observation has prompted wildlife experts to call for improved conservation measures.
Generosity Assam General Secretary Kangkana Manu Sarma documented the sighting with GPS-tagged photographs and shared them on social media. She urged the Forest Department to take steps to rescue and protect the individual.
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Golden langurs, listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, are among India’s most endangered primates. They are typically found in a narrow range along the Assam–Bhutan border, between the Sankosh and Manas rivers, with the Brahmaputra to the south and Bhutan’s Black Mountains to the north.
According to a 2024 survey, India hosts an estimated 7,396 golden langurs. Of these, 5,566 are in the northern Manas region and 1,830 are in fragmented areas such as Chakrashila and Kakoijana.
Key habitats include Manas and Raimona National Parks, Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Kakoijana Reserved Forest, and Sikhna Jhwhlao National Park. Other notable areas include Barekuri in Tinsukia, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, and Dihing Patkai National Park.
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In early August 2025, two golden langurs suffered from contact with exposed electrical wires. One was critically injured on August 3 near Kakoijana Reserved Forest. Another died on August 7 after touching an uninsulated cable near a transformer in Katuripara, Bongaigaon.
Wildlife experts report that these incidents occur frequently, especially during the monsoon, when sagging wires hang lower over treetops. Conservationists have identified 56 hazardous transformers across the Kakoijana corridor.
While Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd. (APDCL) officials argue that insulating the lines is technically difficult, conservation groups point to successful examples in other regions where similar safety measures have been implemented.
Experts attribute increased human-langur interactions to habitat fragmentation. In the past, golden langurs moved freely across continuous forest canopies.
Today, deforestation, road construction, and human settlements have disrupted these corridors. As a result, langurs are forced to descend, risking road crossings, rooftop movements, and contact with electrical infrastructure.
Although the Forest Department regularly conducts rescue operations after incidents, conservationists emphasize the need for preventive action. They note that local APDCL teams often lack training and awareness, leading to delays and avoidable fatalities. Measures like wire insulation and rerouting power lines are rarely undertaken.
Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, killing a Schedule I species, even through negligence, can result in imprisonment of up to seven years and fines. However, enforcement in electrocution cases remains limited.
Golden langurs can live over 20 years in captivity, but survival in the wild is increasingly uncertain due to electrocution, habitat loss, and human disturbance.
Researcher Jay Prakash Pathak stressed the importance of preventive action, saying, “The survival of the golden langur depends on human choices. Insulating wires, restoring forest cover, and reconnecting canopy routes are essential.”
He also recommended upgrading key habitats to sanctuary status, installing canopy bridges, and supporting community-based wildlife monitoring.
Such steps, he said, require prompt action and a balanced approach to development that considers ecological safety. Without it, sightings of golden langurs outside their natural habitat may become more common, reflecting the ongoing pressures on the species’ survival.