Assam villagers oppose sanctuary tag for golden langur habitat.

Why in news?

• Recently neighbours of a golden langur habitat in western Assam’s Bongaigaon district have opposed a move by the State government to upgrade it to a wildlife sanctuary.
• Kakoijana Reserve Forest is one of the better-known homes of the golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) found only in Assam and Bhutan.
• The villagers demanded that the “conventional idea of wildlife sanctuary” be dropped and the reserve forest converted into a community forest resource “using Forest Rights Act, 2006, to ensure community co-managed system of participation for sustainable conservation.
• The villagers pointed out that the conservation efforts of the locals had helped the authorities concerned to restore the forest canopy from less than 5% to more than 70%, and the golden langur population from less than 100 to more than 600 over almost three decades.

About Golden Langur(Trachypithecus geei)

• Golden langurs can be most easily recognized by the color of their fur, after which they are named.
• It has been noted that their fur changes colors according to the seasons as well as geography (region they live in).
• The color of the young also differs from adults in that they are almost pure white.
• They are highly dependent on trees, living in the upper canopy of forests. They are also known as leaf monkeys.
• Habitat: It is endemic to western Assam, India, and southern Bhutan.
• Their habitat is restricted to the region surrounded by four geographical landmarks: the foothills of Bhutan (North), Manas river (East), Sankosh river (West), and Brahmaputra river(South).
• Threats:
• Restricted Habitat:As mentioned above, their habitat is restricted by natural boundaries further increasing the threat of extinction.
• Habitat Fragmentation: Their habitat in Assam has fragmented drastically especially after a thrust on rural electrification and massive deforestation.
• Inbreeding: Obstructions such as wires, and gaps in the forest due to felling, have increased the threat of inbreeding among golden langurs.
• Protection Status:
• IUCN List of Threatened Species: Endangered
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• It is listed as among the world’s 25 most endangered primates.