Tura, Feb. 12: A pair of western hoolock gibbons, locally known as huro, rescued seven years ago and nurtured in a shelter, were released in Nokrek National Park in the West Garo Hills on Wednesday.
Florian Magne, director of Sonja Wildlife Rescue Centre, where the apes are cared for, claimed that this was the first time that a pair was successfully rehabilitated.
In 2008, a single hoolock gibbon called Siloni, a female, was released in Garo hills. Siloni, however, died the following year.
"The western hoolock gibbons were released in Garo hills. It was done for the first time in the country and anywhere in the world," said Magne.
The rescue centre is in Silsotchigre, about 40km from Tura.
Magne said the gibbons were rescued from villagers in South Garo Hills in April 2009. The female, Remi, was rescued from A'gin Darenggre, while the male, Robinson, from Chitmang Hangsapal village.
At the centre, both of them were reared under the guidance of Magne, a French national, and his team that includes local youths trained in handling gibbons. The project is funded by several donors from France and other European countries.
"Both the gibbons were very young at the time of rescue. They were looked after for seven years according to the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN) norms and released," Magne added.
At present, there are eight gibbons at the rescue centre. "It was an emotional moment for the entire team that has been working tirelessly at the centre. It was also an accomplishment for us that we were able to release the gibbons in the wild," said Magne, whose love for gibbons brought him to the Northeast from Paris in 2007.
In 2012 and 2015, an effort was made to release the gibbons at Amgratoli forest reserve in the South Garo Hills and at Silsotchigre community reserve forest but it was unsuccessful. "There was uncontrolled encroachment and felling of trees at the release site. It posed a hindrance," Magne, 30, said.
The release site in Nokrek National Park has three existing gibbon families. One of the families has five members, while the other two have three and two members, respectively.
"The rescued gibbons underwent health check-up and were found fit and healthy to be released," Magne said. Western hoolock gibbon ( Hoolock Hoolock) of Hyalobatidae family is an endangered species protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Nokrek National Park has fruit-bearing trees round the year. Of the eight gibbons at the centre, a couple - Dawn and Espoir - has an offspring (male) named Sanjay.
Magne said the family would be released in the coming years.
A local youth, Sandrick A. Sangma, who is the in charge of the centre, underwent training at Lepal Zoo in France. He is being sent to Gibbon Conservation Center, Santa Clarita, in California, US, this year. A total of 13 employees work at the centre. They also run a free school in the village. Altogether 120 students study from nursery to class VI.
