Tinsukia: Across the Barekuri region of Tinsukia district near Assam's border with Arunachal Pradesh, comprising 21 villages that are part of India's only Hoolock Gibbon sanctuary, Saturday was a day of solemn celebration, marking the World Hoolock Gibbon Day. Residents of these villages share a unique coexistence with the endangered Hoolock Gibbon, the sole lesser ape species among India's rich biodiversity. At a time of raging man-animal conflicts across the country, this rare example of coexistence has, of late, grown popular as an attractive tourist destination.
A youth-led conservation initiative has blossomed into a full community effort, where villagers treat the endangered apes as family, giving each one a name and sharing their joys and sorrows. The annual arrival of both the Hoolock Gibbons from the higher reaches, along with hundreds of domestic and international visitors to the Motapung Maguri Beel (wetland) highlights the area's ecological significance.
World Hoolock Gibbons Day
The tradition of observing World Hoolock Gibbons Day, which was initiated in Leicester, England on October 24, 2015, was enthusiastically taken up in Barekuri since 2017. This year's celebration, themed around efforts to establish a green environment, was held with a day-long agenda at the Tarajan-Denka Combined Youth Association playground. It was organised by the Barekuri Environment-Tourism Development Committee (BETDC), in collaboration with youth associations and local residents.
The event commenced with local elders paying tribute to deceased Hoolock Gibbons by lighting lamps before their photographs. Yes, the people of the Chutia community that populate this region can identified each individual gibbon by name.
A key part of the programme included an awareness meeting, where villagers were distributed saplings of high-quality (G-9) banana, guava, and mahogany. This mass tree-planting initiative aims to alleviate future food shortages for the Gibbons, birds, and other wildlife, and to effectively restore Barekuri's greenery.
A Grassroots Environmental Regeneration Effort
BETDC advisor Kamaleswar Chutia said the celebration's primary objective is to ensure the security of the remaining Hoolock Gibbon population and the preservation of the natural ecosystem. He noted the growing importance of Barekuri as a tourist hub, propelled by the Hoolock Gibbons and migratory birds at Motapung Maguri Beel.
Chutia expressed hope that the government will take specific measures to advance Barekuri's tourism potential and to protect the Hoolock Gibbon, especially given the recent attention it has received, including praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 'Asom Gourav Award, 2024'.