Hoolock Gibbon
26-08-2023
01:24 PM
1 min read
Overview:
The conservation status of India’s only ape was a cause for concern at a global event on Hoolock gibbons held recently in China.
About Hoolock Gibbon
- It is the only ape found in India.
- It is native to eastern Bangladesh, Northeast India, Myanmar, and Southwest China.
- Gibbons, the smallest and fastest of all apes, live in tropical and subtropical forests in the southeastern part of Asia.
- The Hoolock gibbon, unique to India’s northeast, is one of 20 species of gibbons on Earth.
- It is categorised into Western Hoolock Gibbon and Eastern Hoolock Gibbon.
- Like all apes, they are extremely intelligent, with distinct personalities and strong family bonds.
Western Hoolock Gibbon
- It has a much wider range, as it is found in all the states of the north-east, restricted between the south of the Brahmaputra river and east of the Dibang river.
- Outside India, it is found in eastern Bangladesh and north-west Myanmar.
- It is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red list.
Eastern Hoolock gibbon
- It inhabits specific pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, and southern China and north-east Myanmar.
- It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red list.
Q1) What are the characteristics of the tropical forests?
The tropical rainforest biome has four main characteristics: very high annual rainfall, high average temperatures, nutrient-poor soil, and high levels of biodiversity (species richness).