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India's Only Ape Species UPSC CSE

Hoolock Gibbon

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Summary of Hoolock Gibbon

The hoolock gibbon, the smallest and fastest ape, is the only ape found in India and lives in tropical and subtropical forests in southeastern Asia. The Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary (HGS) in Assam, home to the endangered Western hoolock gibbon population, is fragmented by a railway track. The sanctuary, which houses 125 individuals in 26 groups, is part of the Lumding-Dibrugarh broad gauge railway section. The Global Gibbon Network (GGN) held its inaugural meeting in Haikou, China, to highlight the critical situation faced by these primates in 2023.

The tailless Hoolock gibbon is the only ape that may be found in India. The ape is native to Eastern Bangladesh, Northeast India, and Southwest China. They eat delicate leaves, fruits, and insects, and they live in tiny colonies on the hillsides of forests. Males and females are distinguished by the color of their coats: males are black, females have a lighter gray-colored coat.

The Global Gibbon Conservation Network Initiative (GGN) was introduced in 2020 by bringing together representatives of twenty groups dedicated to gibbon conservation on International Gibbon Day. The project sought to foster international cooperation and create a global network for the protection of gibbons. Asia's unique history was to be safeguarded and preserved through the GGN, which was organized by Eco Foundation Global and the Hainan Institute of National Parks.

Background of Hoolock Gibbon

In 1834, American naturalist R. Harlan became the first to describe the hoolock gibbon, which is named for its loud vocalizations and originated in Assam. Zoologists believed that the northeast was home to two different ape species over the years: the western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock), which is found across the northeast, and the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys), which is located in a particular area of Arunachal Pradesh. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), located in Hyderabad, conducted a research in 2021 that established the existence of a single ape species in India. The genetic analysis revealed that the previously thought eastern and western hoolock gibbon populations diverged around 1.48 million years ago, and that gibbons diverged from a common ancestor around 8.38 million years ago. It refuted previous findings that the color of its coat indicated that the eastern hoolock gibbon belonged to a different species.

Introduction of Hoolock Gibbon

The Hoolock gibbon is the only tailless ape that may be found in India. The ape is native to Eastern Bangladesh, Northeast India, and Southwest China. They eat delicate leaves, fruits, and insects, and they live in tiny colonies on the hillsides of forests. Males and females are distinguished by the color of their coats: males are black, females have a lighter gray-colored coat.

Category of Hoolock gibbon

  1. Western Hoolock Gibbon:
    • Habitat :
      • Available in every state in the Northeast.
      • Limited to the area between the Dibang and Brahmaputra rivers.
      • Found outside of India in north-west Myanmar and eastern Bangladesh.
    • IUCN Red List: Endangered.
    • Appearance : They ae medium sized gibbons with long arms adapted for brachiation. Males are generally black in color while females are yellowish-brown in color.
    • Diet : These are primarily fugivorous which means fruit-eaters. They also consume leaves, flowers and insects.
    • Behaviour : These live in small family groups which consist of a monogamous pair and their offsprings.
  2. Eastern hoolock gibbon:
    • Habitat : It lives in isolated areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India, as well as in northeastern Myanmar and southern China outside of India.
    • IUCN Red List status : Vulnerable
    • Appearance : Males are black in color with white eybrows while females are light brown in color with white rings around their faces.
    • Diet : They are also mainly fugivorous but also consume other things like leaves, flowers and insects.

Threat:

About Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary

About Global Gibbon Network (GGN)

The Global Gibbon Conservation Network Initiative (GGN) was introduced in 2020 by bringing together representatives of twenty groups dedicated to gibbon conservation on International Gibbon Day. The project sought to foster international cooperation and create a global network for the protection of gibbons. Asia's unique history was to be safeguarded and preserved through the GGN, which was organized by Eco Foundation Global and the Hainan Institute of National Parks.

Primate species in india

  • A primate is a member of the biological order Primates, which includes all creatures that are closely related to lemurs, monkeys, and apes, the latter including humans.
  • Primates can be informally characterized as mammals having opposable thumbs, yet they exist in diverse sizes and temperaments.
  • According to fossil records, monkeys evolved as forest-dwelling species in the Late Cretaceous period (97.5 to 66.4 million years ago).
  • Primates are found across the planet.

Category of Primate:- They are majorly categorized in three groups:

  • Prosimians
  • Monkeys of the New World
  • Monkeys and apes of the Old World

Important Primate Species in danger in India:-
Arunachal Macaque (Macaca munzala)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • In some areas of western Arunachal Pradesh, one can spot Arunachal Macaques.
  • Researchers found them for the first time in 2005.
  • In the state, they are known to reside in broadleaf woods close to areas where people live.

Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • The Lion-tailed Macaque is a native of the Western Ghats and prefers to dwell under the shade of tropical evergreen rainforests of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
  • It is diurnal, which means that it is active only during the day.

Phayre's Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus Phayrei)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • Phayre's Leaf Monkeys, so named because of the characteristic white rings surrounding their eyes, were formerly distributed throughout northeastern India, as well as portions of Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
  • They are currently only found in small areas in the states of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura due to habitat destruction.

Kashmir Gray Langur (Semnopithecus ajax)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • One of the least researched langur species is the Kashmir Gray Langur, often called the Himalayan Gray Langur.
  • They are native to the western Himalayas, where they may now be found in the Chamba district within a 500-kilometer radius.

Gee’s Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • The primate is found in Bhutan, a neighboring nation, and Western Assam. It is considered sacred by many.

Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus Bengalensis)

  • IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
  • The shy and nocturnal Bengal Slow Lorises live in the forested areas of northern India.
  • Sap-releasing trees are preferred by arboreal slow lorises.

What are the threats to Primates in India?

Conclusion of Hoolock Gibbon

Since the primary threat to apes is the loss of forests, habitat conservation is essential. It is essential to increase awareness within groups residing in peripheral locations. Anti-poaching patrols, animal relocation, raising awareness of conservation concerns, and restoring apes into their natural habitats are some examples of conservation measures for apes. Human activity has put many apes in danger, and by comprehending these risks, scientists may make a substantial contribution to the conservation of apes.

Prelims PYQS of India's Only Ape Species

Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species? (2012)
(a) Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda and Asiatic Wild Ass
(b) Kashmir Stag, Cheetal, Blue Bull and Great Indian Bustard
(c) Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey and Saras (Crane)
(d) Lion-tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur and Cheetal

Correct Answer :(a) Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda and Asiatic Wild Ass
Consider the following fauna: (2023)
1. Lion-tailed Macaque
2. Malabar Civet
3. Sambar Deer
How many of the above are generally nocturnal or most active after sunset?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Correct Answer :(b) Only two
Consider the following: (2013)
1. Star tortoise
2. Monitor lizard
3. Pygmy hog
4. Spider monkey

Which of the above are naturally found in India?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct Answer :(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
In which of the following States is liontailed macaque found in its natural habitat? (2013)
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Kerala
3. Karnataka
4. Andhra Pradesh

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct Answer :(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Consider the following pairs: (2010)
Protected area Well-known for
1. Bhitarkanika, Orissa SaltWater Crocodile
2. Desert National Park, Rajasthan Great Indian Bustard
3. Eravikulam, Kerala Hoolock Gibbon
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(b) 1 and 2 only

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