The golden haired langurs of Assam

By: Sanjeeb Baruah

Its 4.30 am and time for breakfast for the golden langurs in the remote Ultapani village in western Assam. A group of ten feed on tender leaves and fruits from their high perches of the trees. At a distance, another group of juveniles frolic through the thick canopies. Sporadic rains revitalized the vegetation here and the langurs appear to waste no time gobbling this rich diet of fresh foliage.

At daybreak in April, the atmosphere radiates with golden hue from the soft sloping sunlight. The pale yellow coated langurs smolder into a golden bright offering a rare spectacle. Their semi-erect crown hairs and long pastel beard make them unique.

They sound ‘aeke-khrek-aeke’ beating from side to side on the tree tops while trying to sense likely dangers. The male leads the pack and when in alarm they sound ‘khrek’. The massive culvert that was built here to supply water into the cultivated fields served as the water source for these primates.

Monsoon brings food and water in plenty from the fresh leaves and tree-holes which keep them habitually arboreal. Diet consists of mature leaves, fruit buds, flowers, animal prey (spider, insects and bird eggs), exudates, bark, soil and herbs. their favorite food is both ripe and unripe mangoes (Megnifera indica) however, they also savor fruits of Tamarindus indica, naturally grown here. In the dry season they mostly consume fruits and the open drain is utilised for water.

Bask, till the sun is blazing hot and gradually disappear into the thick canopies for shelter. The 25-yrs. old Dhiresh Boro, who has grown up watching them in his orchard at the back of his home remembers, “They do not come down often but on rare occasions they approach the ground for climbing isolated trees or to quench thirst. Remain active in the early morning and late afternoon and rest during midday. They spend their time feeding, grooming and resting.”     
 
There are about a hundred households in this village in the Chirrang Reserve Forest-mostly from the Nepalese community which consider the langurs as the descendents of ‘Sugriva’ the monkey king from the epic Ramayana. They also think that their presence have brought them prosperity and luck.  

Unlike other days when villagers gather to work on mustard fields, today, they huddled in small groups to converse the unexplained deaths of langurs. The first incident was reported in early January and in the following weeks several other deaths occurred. A group of primate experts and veterinarians from the state capital and forest officials had recently investigated the probable causes of death here. Now, the residents are more watchful and would inform the investigators if any unseemly behavior of langurs is noticed.  

The inquiry was carried out by the Green Heart Nature Club under the Rapid Action Project of the Wildlife Trust of India. The RAPs were initiated by WTI in the year 2000 in partnership with the David Shepherd Foundation to address the wildlife emergencies in the country.  

Apart from interviews, several other parameters were studied; symptomatic observations for viral and bacterial disease, poisoning due to pesticide or chemical fertilizer, water contamination etc. About 100 langurs were monitored for abnormalities in a period of 15 days in the affected areas and carcasses were recovered for further examination. Pathological samples and faecal matter were sent for clinical tests to the Indian Institute of Virology Pune and the Veterinary Science College in Guwahati by the investigating team. The sudden recovery of over 30 carcasses in Ultapani, Saralpara and the adjoining areas of Haltugaon Forest Division has raised serious concern on the survival of these endangered species. 

E. P. Gee first highlighted about this high roosting species (Trachypithecus geei) in Assam in 1955. They are found in the Chirrang and the Ripu reserve forests in western Assam which extend upto southern Bhutan. The sub-tropical semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests of the region provided these primates an ideal habitat. River Sankosh in the west, Manas in the east and Brahmaputra in the south supplied precious water for the preservation of this lush greenery. The species is considered endangered in both countries. IUCN in 2003 placed the animal as endangered B1 ab (I,ii,iii,iv,v); C1 and CAMP in 2002 (regional status) as critically endangered B1 ab (I,ii,iii,iv,v); C1 +2a.    
 
Prabal Sarkar, Sr. Field Officer of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), also a primate expert said that golden langurs inhabit small isolated areas and due to their small population size there is a greater need for conservation. Disease outbreaks and natural calamities poise a grave threat.

Earlier, experiments have been carried out for introducing this species in other areas. A pair was introduced in the Umananda Temple a decade ago on a river island of Brahmaputra, today they have multiplied to six. Another pair was introduced in the Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura, where one of them had reportedly died. Barring Umananda, the experiment did not move further.  

They live in tight social bond and are generally marked by an adult male in a group of 10-15 females and juveniles. Occasionally, multi-male and multi-female troop structures have also been reported from several locations. They appear in high density in a relatively smaller area (ranging 30 – 450 individuals) akin to other primates. The recruitment rate (lesser number of immature than adult individuals) is considerably low. (Biswas, 2002; Srivastava et. al., 1999).

Studies about their distribution suggested that langurs share their habitats closely with other primates, though rivalries are common among them. 900 sq. km. in Assam and 1400 sq. km in the south central Bhutan constitutes their habitat. (Biswas, 2002, 2004; Choudhury, 1996, 2002; Mohnot et al., 1998; Molour et al., 2003; Subba 1998; Wangchuk et. al., 2001, 2003). It is estimated that their current population in Assam is about 3000 and in south central Bhutan about 1500. 

The selective felling of their roosting trees for profits exerted pressure on their survival. It is being estimated that 30% of their previous habitat has been lost in less than 12 years. About 200 villages in the periphery of these forest ranges poise serious hindrance for their conservation.

Recent incidents of crop raiding which was earlier uncommon among these species has earned them the notoriety of crop raiders and conservationists fear that the conflicts with the affected populace might worsen in the future. Apparently, due to the shrinking habitats, scarcity of food and other biotic and abiotic pressures have narrowed their chances of survival.

For the moment, residents in Ultapani have promised all cooperation to experts visiting them in the hope for conservation of these wonderful species. Conservationists know that depleting habitats would cause extinction and non-natural habitats cannot copy the mystery of exuberant wildlife of their original habitat.    

Photo credit: Green Heart Nature Club