MIRZA, March 6 � Another feather in the cap has been added to the forests of Chandubi area with the recording of the presence of an endangered capped langur (Trachipithecus pileatus) in Borduar Reserve Forest near Chandubi lake in Kamrup West Forest Division.
This correspondent and a professional photographer, Jon Rabha successfully filmed a capped langur at the deeply forested Borduar Reserve Forest on February 23 last which has vindicated the earlier prediction of the capped langur � an endangered species � by some NGOs, including MAN & WILD, in the forests encompassing Chandubi beel. In April 2013 also, the same duo had photographed two capped langurs in the Gutipathar area of Borduar RF near the Chandubi-Muduki PWD road.
It may be mentioned here that several organisations had reported the presence of several threatened species of primates including capped langur, hoolock gibbon, rhesus macaque in the forests of Borduar, Mataikhar, Mayong reserve forest located in the Chandubi areas but there was no photographic evidence of the exact presence of capped langur and hoolock gibbon in the area earlier.
Experts say that Assam is a habitat of nine species of primates � the slow loris (lajuki bandor), stump tailed macaque (senduria bandor), Assamese macaque (moluwa bandor), pigtailed macaque (gahori nejia bandor), rhesus macaque (common monkey), golden langur (sonali bandor), Phyre�s leaf monkey ( chasma bandor), capped langur (tupimuria bandor) and hoolock gibbon (holou bandor). Of these nine species, four species of monkeys have been categorised as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN ). These are golden langur, capped langur, hoolock gibbon and Phyre�s leaf monkey. Further, the capped langur is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (of India ) while CITES has categorised capped langur in Appendix I which shows that capped langur has been strongly protected as far as the law is concerned, sources said.
Sources also said that the capped langur has four subspecies �Trachypithecus pileatus brahma, Trachypithecus durga, Trachypithecus pileatus pileatus and Trachypithecus tenebricus � in Assam and all of which have been listed as endangered species and that the capped langur is on the brink of extinction at present.
Dr Dhiraj Bora, an expert who has obtained his PhD in capped langur in Assam says that the capped langur is middle and upper canopy dweller primate and its habitat is mainly confined to the areas covered by tall trees with large foliage.
Dr Bora said that the capped langur prefers habitat having forests with trees like Bhomora, Bhelu, Bhelkor, Chatiyona, Gamari, Sisu, Kum, Koroi, Jiya, Poma, Neem, Silikha, Titachopa, Singori, Bandordinga, Sal etc., in which it (capped langur) finds plenty of seasonal food. Bora further said that capped langur is basically folivorous animal and that the food of capped langur includes leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, barks, stem, insects, larvae etc . He further said that habitat fragmentation, poor enforcement of law, encroachment of habitat, felling of tall dwelling and feeding trees, lack of community participation and awareness have become the factors that are contributing to the dwindling of the population of the capped langur in Assam.
Talking to this correspondent, eminent wildlife biologist, Dr PC Bhattacharjee asked the Government and concerned NGOs to conduct a census of the capped langur in Chandubi and other forests of Assam which will help in framing a conservation plan of the species.
