Golden Langur Electrocuted in Bongaigaon

Dhubri: A fully grown male Golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) dies after electrocution in Shibbari at Abhyapuri under Bongaigaon district. For a long time, locals have been requesting government authorities to arrange plastic cover electric cables near the habitat areas of the Golden langur.

Golden langurs died from electrocution, which was looking for food beyond the reserve forests, where most of the time langurs came outside from the protected areas.

Environmentalist Mahidhar Ray found that these threats pose a “high risk” to langur's habitat. Agricultural expansion, resource extraction, electrocution, and roadkills had a medium impact on the habitat of the species.

Ray, listed habitat threats from resource extraction (collection of firewood, timber, non-timber forest products, stones, boulders, and sand), agricultural expansion and irrigation canals, and illegal planting of cash crops, among others.

Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) can install insulated electric cables and fencing around power transformers and reduce the electrocution rates of the primates in these particular areas of Kakoijana and Abhyapuri under Bongaigaon district said by the residents. 

The Golden langur is endemic to the north-eastern Indian state of Assam and our neighboring country Bhutan. It is fully protected as a Schedule I species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. 

Despite its endangered status, there is no comprehensive conservation plan for the Golden langur across its entire habitat, particularly in Kakoijana and Abhyapuri where Golden langur deaths have been increasingly documented. 

Environmentalist Mahidhar Ray hoped that in the future village groups can work together jointly to protect the contiguous border forests since wildlife does not recognize political boundaries.