Hoolock summary cover

Western Hoolock Gibbon (male)

Art by Stephen NashHoolock hoolock hoolock

Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon -- SummaryFrom the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment Workshop Report 2005

Compiled by Sally Walker and Sanjay MolurIllustrations by Stephen Nash, Arnab Roy and Sonali Lahiri

Summary taken from Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon, PHVAWorkshop Report, 2005

Summary Compiled by : Sally Walker and Sanjay MolurPublished by: Zoo Outreach OrganisationCopyright: Zoo Outreach Organisation 2006

This publication can be reproduced for educational and non-commercial purposes without prior permission from the copyrightholder provided the source is fully acknowledged.

Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercialpurposes is prohibited without prior permission (in writing) of thecopyright holder.

ISBN: 81-88722-16-2

Citation: Sally Walker & Sanjay Molur (Compilers) 2006.Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon - Summary 2006. FromPHVA Workshop Report, 2005, Zoo Outreach Organisation, CBSG-South Asia, Coimbatore, 20pp.

Cover and layout designed and produced by: Zoo OutreachOrganisation

Artwork by: Stephen Nash, Arnab Roy, and Sonali Lahiri

The international boundaries of India reproduced in this book areneither purported to be correct nor authentic by the Survey of Indiadirectives.

Report No. 12. (2006). Zoo Outreach Organisation PB 1683, 29/1East Bharathi Colony, Peelamedu, Coimbatore 641004, TN, India.Ph. +91 422 2561087 Fax: 91 422 2563269Email: [email protected], [email protected] [email protected]: www.zooreach.org, www.zoosprint.org,www.southasiantaxa.org

The complete Report can be ordered from Zoo Outreach Organisationfor Rs. 500.00 including postage for Indians and other South Asiansand $ 35.00 including postage for individuals and institutions locatedoutside South Asia. Write to ZOO, POB 1683, Peelamedu,Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641 004, India. Or contact by email:<[email protected]> or via website <www.zooreach.org>.

Credits

The workshop was facilitated andcoordinated by the IUCN SSCConservation Breeding SpecialistGroup�s regional network for SouthAsia (CBSG, South Asia).

The IUCN/SSC Primate SpecialistGroup was represented by severalmembers from South Asia.Other organizers and collaboratorswere :

Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO),Wildlife Information & LiaisonDevelopment Society (WILD),Primate Specialist Group SouthAsia Network, Wildlife Trust ofBangladesh.

The Hoolock Gibbon PHVAworkshop and publicawareness follow-up materialswere sponsored by:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMargot Marsh Biodiversity Fund/Primate Action FundTwycross ZooColumbus Zoo Conservation FundandApenheul Primate Park

Artwork by Arnab Roy, StephenNash, and Sonali Lahiri.

TWYCROSS

Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon : PHVA Report Summary 2006 1

Introduction

Hoolock Gibbon is South Asia�s only ape species meaning that it has a set ofcharacteristics which make it a species of primate in the same category with manhimself. Homo sapiens, the scientific name for human beings, is indeed an ape ... an�animal� with no tail, primarily bipedal (two-legged), with opposable thumbs, etc.Other apes � besides gibbons and human beings include: gorillas, chimpanzees,bonobos, orangutans and siamangs.

There are other kinds of gibbons as well but none of them, aside from Hoolock Gibbon,live in South Asia. There are many gibbon species and subspecies that live in SouthEast Asia. You can learn about them in this booklet.

In South Asia, which now consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal,Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, we now know there are two subspecies (types orkinds of species) of Hoolock Gibbon. They are called the Western Hoolock Gibbon(Hoolock hoolock hoolock) and the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock leuconedys).Western Hoolock Gibbon lives in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar (see locality tables onpage 13) and - as far as we know � Eastern Hoolock Gibbon lives in China, Myanmarand in a restricted area in India.

As far as we know ...This �cop-out� term �as far as we know� is very important in science, particularlytaxonomy and species distribution, which changes frequently. Just a short while agothe scientific name for Hoolock Gibbon was very different. Instead of Hoolock hoolock,the name was Bunopithecus hoolock ! Moreover, a very short while ago, we didn�tknow that the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon occurred in India � we thought it was only fromMyanmar and China! How can this be science ! You will find out in Alan Mootnick�sarticle in this booklet.

Field biologists conduct surveys in the wild to learn things about wild animals, whichwill help forest officers and managers protect them better. But no field biologist canobserve every movement of every species in every locality, and they also may not beable to see every small characteristic, which determines their subspecies.Biotechnology has helped wildlife a great deal in that way, as blood, hair, saliva,faeces, nails, can be indicators of subspecies.

What is important ...What is important about wildlife in general, however, and about hoolocks in particularis their status in the wild, and the threats to their continued existence as a species.That is why you are reading this booklet ... to help you understand the uniqueness andimportance of Hoolock Gibbon as a species in your country, Recently, the WesternHoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) was listed by the IUCN Primate Specialist Group asone of the Twenty-five Most Endangered Primates in the World. Western HoolockGibbon is Endangered in India and Critically Endangered in Bangladesh

Most of the information in this booklet was taken from the Report on a scientificworkshop on Hoolock Gibbon conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, February 2005. It wasa special kind of workshop involving a workshop process developed by the IUCN SSCConservation Breeding Specialist Group, which is explained in detail in this booklet.The best researchers attended and contributed to the workshop data collection andconclusions. Despite the care we took, the name of the animal has changed and so hasour idea about the subspecies of Hoolock Gibbon in such a short time ! One thing thatunfortunately will not change so quickly however is that the Hoolock Gibbon is highlythreatened and needs help to survive. Read this booklet and do your bit to protect it.

Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon : PHVA Report Summary 20062

The Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock hoolock) was assessed asCritically Endangered in Bangladesh and Endangered in India based on IUCN RedList Criteria, Regional Guidelines (IUCN 2003). Numbers are small (600-700) andthey are further disadvantaged by their distribution in 133 localities of India andBangladesh in populations ranging from 1 to 40. That they can be seen in somany localities imparts a false impression of status and security of the taxon.A PHVA Workshop was organized in Dhaka, Bangladesh initiated by Zoo OutreachOrganisation and the South Asian Primate Networks of the IUCN SSC PrimateSpecialist Group and organised with collaborating organizations from bothcountries, particularly Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB), Forest Directorate,Government of the People�s Republic of Bangladesh, Wildlife Information LiaisonDevelopment (WILD), CBSG, South Asia, and IUCN SSC Conservation BreedingSpecialist Group (CBSG). The workshop, Report, and other material to generatepublic awareness was generously sponsored by the Great Ape Conservation Fund(GACF) of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Margot Marsh BiodiversityFoundation Primate Action Fund/Conservation International, Twycross Zoo,Columbus Zoo and Appenheul Primate Park.

Hoolock Gibbon localities are situated in areas of high biodiversity, e.g.northeastern India and remaining forest areas of Bangladesh. Participants wereinvited from the forest and wildlife departments of both countries, local NGOs,field biologists of Bangladesh and India, who have had direct experience withHoolock Gibbons and a few outside specialists.

The PHVA helps in understanding the implications of small population dynamicson the survival of threatened species. On the basis of deliberations of fiveWorking Groups and frequent plenary discussions over a five-day period, a DraftReport was created and reviewed by participants to provide the basis for thisReport. This Report will be used to address policy makers and politicians as wellas the public to support recommendations for actions leading to long termsurvival of Western Hoolock Gibbon. An extensive education component willsupport circulation of the Report and a Summary, help participants and othereducators carry out public awareness recommendations and drive home amessage of need for intensive and immediate governmental intervention onbehalf of this species.

Working GroupsThe Simulation Modelling Group ran population simulations using VORTEX withcurrent information on WHG biology. The group modelled different variablesaround baseline data derived after sensitivity testing analysis. Some variablesmodelled included initial population sizes (ranging from 5-100 with intervals of 5),adult mortality rates (1%, 3% and 5%), inbreeding (0 and 3.14), age of firstreproduction (8-14 years), female fertility rate (20-50%), catastrophes (0% -5%), carrying capacity (no trend and negative trend), and hunting. The modelsgenerated a very high probability of extinction for populations of less than 15individuals within twenty years, which applies to more than 80% of the existingpopulation of WHG in India and Bangladesh. For populations larger than 15individuals also, the probability of extinction increased with higher levels of adultmortalities, negative trend in carrying capacity and hunting, which are commonfactors affecting most wild WHG populations. The largest population inBangladesh (Lawachara) with 37 individuals is very much prone to extinctionwithin the next 25-30 years if hunting and habitat destruction continues at thepresent rate. In India, the largest population of 156 individuals is relativelysafe, but only if habitat destruction and hunting are reduced.

Executive Summary of the PHVA Workshop


The Wild Population Management Working Group discussed and prioritisedproblem areas for WHG population managment in the wild in both India and inBangladesh by addressing them in two categories, under direct and indirecteffects. The group identified problems under direct and indirect effects anddeliberated on each of the identified issues, defining the facts, assumptions,justifications, and data availability. They then prioritised goals and actions forfive main issues including 1. arresting habitat loss, 2. receiving legislative supportfor preventing illegal activities relative to conservation of WHG, 3. improvinglivelihoods of people living in and around WHG habitat, 4. setting up effectiveadministration to support conservation programmes including periodic populationmonitoring, and 5. earning political will in favour of conservation.

The Habitat and Distribution Working Group, Bangladesh revisited datacompiled at the 2002 Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP)Workshop for South Asian Primates held in Coimbatore, India. In the interveningthree years, eight populations / locations of WGH have become extinct inBangladesh due to combined effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, humaninterference and hunting: Horinchara in NE, Chunati, Satghar, Padua,Bomarighona, Hinchari, Hnilla and Teknam in SE. The group also identified WHG in23 other localities with 14 of those localities having less than ten individuals inthe population. One location Lawachara has the largest population whichconsist of only 37 individuals. Priority problems identified are : habitat loss,human interference, agriculture, development, extraction, alien/exotic species.The Working Group based goals and action plans on these priorities.

The Habitat and Distribution Working Group, India also revisited the datafrom 2002 CAMP exercise and noted that nine previously listed populations hadnot been recorded. The group recommends surveys to determine whether theselocalities have lost WHG or not. Hoolocks occur in all the seven states of NEIndia with Arunachal Pradesh having 168 individuals in 7 populations, Assamhaving 1985 individuals 94 populations, Meghalaya 236 individuals in 10populations, Mizoram 128 individuals in 9 populations and Tripura 97 individuals in3 populations. Population information from Manipur was not available due todifficulties in conducting field studies in the state. Of the total of 111populations observed in the country the number of population-size classesindicates that more than 55% of the populations of WHG in India have less than15 individuals while only ten populations have more than 50 individuals. Thegoals identified by the group included the following six: arresting habitat loss,better understanding of WHG distribution, building political will, upgrading socio-economic as well as education status of people, increasing manpower forprotection of WHG habitat, and increasing legislative support for preventing illegalactivities.

The Political and Public Awareness Working Group felt that the socio-economic as well as educational status of the people living in WHG localities needimprovement before they can participate in meaningful activity which would leadto WHG conservation, and recommended actions to bring this about. Thisincluded ways to strengthen the education system in general and as appliedspecifically to information pertaining to WHG as well as improving the socio-economic status, so that an attitudinal change towards conservation couldevolve. The group also discussed legislaton, suggesting amendment of existinglaws to reflect current values and emphasize species and habitat conservation.The group felt religious leaders could play an effective role in conservationeducation if they were appropriately guided.


In the Captive Management Group it was noted with alarm that a large numberof WHGs had been captured for exhibition and captive breeding over the years,and even very recently in Bangladesh, without appropriate exhibition or holdingfacilities, educational emphasis or expertise in husbandry. During that time onlyone infant has been born and survived and is currently living in Dhaka Zoo. Thegroup discussed lacunaes in expertise in zoo conservation, management,administration, education and research and made recommendations for fillingthese gaps. A beginning was made on the formulation of a management plan forcaptive propagation utilising only currently held WHGs in India and in Bangladesh.In view of facts from the modelling and the habitat and distribution group, it wasfelt that no further WHG should be captured for captive breeding or exhibition ineither country.

After the Working Groups completed their Reports recommendations wereprioritised, read out at the Validictory function and distributed to the Press. Therecommendation for in situ or field conservation and for ex situ or captiveconservation follow on the next pages.

But first . . . What is a PHVA ?PHVA stands for Population and Habitat Viability Assessment. It is a"workshop" with multiple conservation goals. CBSG, the Conservation BreedingSpecialist Group, developed the current PHVA workshop process over twentyyears by practicing, noting problems, correcting imperfections and incorporatingnew science. The PHVA workshop is built on biological and sociological science:biological ... how organisms (usually non-human) are conceived, born, live anddie, and sociological ... how organisms (usually human) relate to other organismsin different localities

Effective conservation action is best built upon a synthesis of available biologicalinformation, but is dependent on actions of humans living within the range of thethreatened species as well as established national and international interests.There are characteristic patterns of human behaviour that are cross-disciplinaryand cross-cultural which affect the processes of communication, problem solving,and collaboration: 1) in the acquisition, sharing, and analysis of information; 2) inthe perception and characterization of risk; 3) in the development of trust amongindividuals; and 4) in �territoriality� (personal, institutional, local, national). Eachof these has strong emotional components that shape our interactions.Recognition of these patterns has been essential in the development of processesto assist people in working groups to reach agreement on conservation actions,collaboration needed, and to establish new working relationships.

Frequently, local management agencies, external consultants, and local expertshave identified management actions. However, an isolated narrow professionalapproach which focuses primarily on the perceived biological problems seems tohave little effect on the needed political and social changes (social learning) forcollaboration, effective management and conservation of habitat fragments orprotected areas and their species components. CBSG workshops are organized tobring together the full range of groups with a strong interest in conserving andmanaging the species in its habitat or the consequences of such management.One goal in all workshops is to reach a common understanding of the state ofscientific knowledge available and its possible application to the decision-makingprocess and to needed management actions. We have found that the decision-making driven workshop process with risk characterization tools, stochasticsimulation modeling, scenario testing, and deliberation among stakeholders is apowerful tool for extracting, assembling, and exploring information. This processencourages developing a shared understanding across wide boundaries of training


What is this "Participatory Methodology" inPHVA Workshops.

CBSG uses systematic methods to help working groups maintaintiming and discipline to obtain the maximum amount of valuableinformation from every participant. Working groups are formedaccording to decisions made by participants.

The Ground Rules for Group Interaction listed here insure that eachparticipant gets ample opportunity to share his knowledge in hisworking group. In some workshops, superior officers have beenknown to command the group and people with good information,such as forest rangers, may not feel encouraged to share.

A group Facilitator insures that the group keeps to the topic decided,does not go over time and comes out with an useful output.

There is also a group Recorder who catches the essence of whateveryone says. There is a Reporter who gives periodic reports to thegreater group on what the working group is doing.

These simple rules, systematic organisation and carefully selected,well-intentioned, passionate participants insure the most current andaccurate information resulting in a scientific and practical analysis ofthe conservation problems of the species and a doable and effectivemanagement plan.

CBSG Ground Rulesfor GroupInteraction

� Participate ... don'tdominate; give all a chanceto contribute to discussion

� Set aside all specialagendas except conservingthe taxa under assessment

� Assume good intent of allparticipants. Treat otherparticipants with respect

� Stick to the schedule...begin and end promptly

� The primary work will beconducted in sub-groups

� Facilitators of plenarysessions or working groupscan call 'time out' whendiscussions reach animpasse or stray too far offthe topic at hand

� Agreements orrecommendations arereached by consensus

� Plan to complete andreview of draft report by theend of the meeting

� Flexibility is the key. Weadjust our process andschedule as needed toachieve goals.

and expertise. These tools also support building of workingagreements and instilling local ownership of the problems, thedecisions required, and their management during the workshopprocess. As participants appreciate the complexity of theproblems as a group, they take more ownership of the process aswell as the ultimate recommendations made to achieve workablesolutions. This is essential if the management recommendationsare to succeed.

Traditional approaches to endangered species problems havetended to emphasize our lack of information and the need foradditional research. This has been coupled with a hesitancy tomake explicit risk assessments of species status and a reluctanceto make immediate or non-traditional managementrecommendations. The result has been long delays in preparingaction plans, loss of momentum, and dependency on crisisdrivenactions or broad recommendations that do not provide usefulguidance to the managers. CBSG�s interactive and participatoryworkshop approach produces positive effects on managementdecision making and in generating political and social support forconservation actions by local people. Modeling is an important toolas part of the process and provides a continuing test ofassumptions, data consistency, and of scenarios. CBSGparticipants recognize that the present science is imperfect andthat management policies and actions need to be designed as partof a biological and social learning process. The workshop processessentially provides a means for designing management decisionsand programmes on the basis of sound science while allowing newinformation and unexpected events to be used for learning and toadjust management practices.


CBSG is part of IUCN - The WorldConservation Union.

Headquartered in Switzerland,The World Conservation Unionserves as the "United Nations ofconservation".

With 520 volunteer members,CBSG is one of the largest ofover 100 Specialist Groupscomprising the Species SurvivalCommission (SSC), one of sixIUCN Commissions. CBSG isfunded by annual voluntarydonations from more than 150institutions and individualsworldwide.

Support for individual projectscomes from conservationorganizations, privatefoundations, zoos, aquariumsand regional zoo associations,corporations and wildlifeagencies.

CBSG has over 25 years ofexperience in developing, testingand applying scientifically basedtools for risk assessment anddecision making in the context ofin situ and ex situ speciesmanagement. These tools, basedon small population andconservation biology, humandemography, and social learning,are used in CBSG�s workshopprocess to produce realisticmanagement recommendations.

CBSG�s workshop processprovides an objectiveenvironment, expert knowledge,and neutral facilitation to supportthe exchange of informationacross diverse stakeholdergroups in order to reachagreement on the importantissues facing both humans andwildlife.

With this understanding,meaningful and practicalmanagement recommendationscan be made. The process hasbeen remarkably successful inuncovering and integratingpreviously unpublished

information vital to the decisionmaking process.

CBSG�s interactive andparticipatory approach producespositive effects on managementdecision-making and generatingpolitical and social support forconservation actions by localpeople.

Workshop participants recognizethat management policies andactions need to be designed aspart of a biological and sociallearning process.

CBSG workshops provide toolsfor designing managementdecisions and programmes onthe basis of sound science, whileallowing new information andunexpected events to be usedconstructively to adjust currentmanagement practices.

Timely production of workshopreports has immediate impact onstakeholders and decisionmakers.

CBSG : the organisation

! Chairman is appointed by theChair of SSC.

! Members are invited to join bythe Chairman

! Membership is based uponexpertise and interest

! Active contribution usuallymade before invitation

! Members are widely scatteredglobally

! Expectation of conservationrole and obligations

! Orientation through news-letters, documentation, andconversation

! No formalized individualevaluation - quadrennialinvitation

! Processes of recognitionthrough newsletter and reports

! Professionals - not randomvolunteers

CBSG Member Characteristics ·520 Volunteer Members in 66Countries

Who is CBSG? ... besides the folks who run PHVAs andCAMPs

Several otherSpecialist

GroupsCBSG

SpeciesSurvival

Commission

CBSG trains people all over theworld to facilitate workshopsboth by conducting expertfacilitation and by specifictraining workshops. Dr. PhilMiller facilitated most of theplenary sessions and assistedthe CBSG-trained modellingteam in the WHG PHVAworkshop.


Recommendationsof the PHVA Workshop for W. Hoolock Gibbon

In situ or field recommendations

1. In India the Western Hoolock Gibbon WHG is highly threateneddue to habitat loss, but has been neglected compared to largemammals of the country. Considering the uniqueness of thisspecies, the workshop recommends the development of a Ministryof Environment project dedicated to WHG for its long termconservation. A Memorandum should be submitted along theselines.

2. Habitat loss is the primary reason for decline of WHG inBangladesh with 8 populations becoming extinct in the last 15years. This decline in habitat must be arrested both in quantityand quality through multi-species plantations, checking illegalfelling and other measures.

3. Legislative support (currently being updated) is urgentlyrequired for preventing illegal activities such as poaching,encroachment, etc. Even existing legislation can be effectivelyimplemented through a coordinated approach, nurturing workingrelationships with NGOs, academics, local communities, and policymakers, training and sensitization of legislators towards the needof WHG.

4. In Bangladesh, there are 22 known populations of WGH, ofwhich 18 have less than 10 animals, isolated and fragmentedsmall populations which cannot survive due to their size andpressure on their habitat. The workshop recommendstranslocation of the small populations to larger, viable habitats,taking advice and help from the IUCN SSC ReintroductionSpecialist Group.

5. The workshop recommends enhanced monitoring of habitat ofWHG on priority basis including creation of more wildlife posts forpatrolling, specific training for management in scientific monitoringmethodology, improved infrastructure and peoples� participation.

6. As habitat loss and habitat destruction are the most importantfactors for the decline of WHG in both countries, the workshoprecommends a firm commitment from the two governments forwildlife habitat protection in localities associated with WGH andimmediate follow up by the concerned departments.

7. The workshop recommends community-based eco-development programmes to be developed in order to generatealternative livelihood to check illegal activities in WHG habitat tominimize habitat loss.

8. The workshop recommends networking specialists,policymakers, law enforcement and celebrities popular with thegeneral public to assist in producing an attitudinal change in

Conservation BreedingSpecialist Group Philosophy

CBSG Goals! Organize a global network ofpeople and resources forscience-based, collaborative,conservation actions.

! Collect, analyse, integrate,and distribute species riskinformation developed by rangecountry experts in the rangecountries and globally.

! Develop tools for the use ofspecies information and humandimension factors forecosystem and landscapeconservation.

! Assist integration ofmanagement programmes forex situ and in situ populationsbased on collaboration.

! Assist conservationorganizations, natural resourceagencies, and zoos in futuressearches and ConservationPlanning

CBSG MissionCBSG�s Statement of Vitality�CBSG cares about savingendangered species andhabitat. It bases its missionand activities on thedevelopment andimplementation of scientificallysound processes. CBSG takes aleadership position in theconservation community basedon cross-cultural,interdisciplinary and inter-sector partnerships. CBSGchampions openness,inclusiveness, morality, ethicsand risk-taking. It constantlyevolves in response to theneeds of all those concernedwith conserving the planet�sbiodiversity. It depends on thewarmth, support, acceptanceand vitality of its extendedcommunity.�


politicians and general public, particularly local stakeholders, aboutthe need for overall protection of WHG.

9. The workshop recommends both countries to create a widelyavailable database on WGH and its requirements for survival toencourage educational projects including educational programmesdirected at laypersons in the localities of the species. Religiousleaders/teachers could be particularly effective combiningscientific facts with religious scriptures about wildlifeconservation.

10. The workshop recommended a systematic study of the eightlocalities in which WGH had become completely extinct in the lastthree years in Bangladesh should be undertaken to determine thereasons and causative factors so that the same could berecognised early in other localities.

11. Since translocation may be the only viable alternative toextinction of WHG the Working Group recommended thatmultidisciplinary teams for each country should be appointed.They should consist of internal and external experts withexperience in translocating similar species who would assess sites,review data and make recommendations on the whole operation.They should also document project outcomes and keep thegovernments and conservation community fully informed.

Ex situ or zoo conservation12. As many WHGs have been taken from the wild in the past forexhibition in zoos and infructous captive breeding projects, andsince the removal of even a very small number of animals canimpact the future survival of the species, the workshopunanimously recommends that no further WHG should be capturedfrom the wild for zoos or captive breeding centres. Zoos currentlyholding WHG should focus their conservation efforts on education,research and a regional cooperative breeding programme utilisingcurrently held WHG taking advice and help from proven gibbonexperts.

13. The workshop recommends that zoo education featuring WHGbe given much more attention providing printed material,accurate, effective signage, trained educators and organizedactivities which to include outreach programmes to educate ruralpeople in/near range of WHG.

14. The workshop recommends that the governments of bothcountries should insist that zoo staff and other researchers withtraining, experience, expertise and interest in the care andmanagement of WHG and other threatened species remain in thezoo instead of being routinely transferred.

15. The workshop recommends that dramatic improvements becarried out in the areas of zoo husbandry, management andenclosures of WHG with advice from experts of internationalrepute. This should include a Management Plan for daily care, aCooperative Breeding Programme for WHG, and a detailedHusbandry Manual after assessment of current practices andenclosures of WHG by experts.


A model is any simplified representation of a realsystem. The typical representation of the growth ofa wildlife population by an annual percent growthrate is a simplified mathematical model of the muchmore complex changes in population size.Representing population growth as an annualpercent change assumes constant exponentialgrowth, ignoring the irregular fluctuations asindividuals are born or immigrate, and die oremigrate. For many purposes, such a simplifiedmodel of population growth is very useful, becauseit captures the essential information we might needregarding the average change in population size,and it allows us to make predictions about thefuture size of the population. A detailed descriptionwould often be of much less value because theessential pattern would be obscured, and it wouldbe difficult or impossible to make predictions aboutthe future population size.

In order to understand and predict the vulnerabilityof a wildlife population to extinction, we need touse a model which incorporates the processeswhich cause fluctuations in the population, as wellas those which control the long-term trends inpopulation size.

Many processes can cause fluctuations inpopulation size:- variation in the environment (such as weather,food supplies, and predation),- genetic changes in the population (such asgenetic drift, inbreeding, and response to naturalselection),- catastrophic effects (such as disease epidemics,floods, and droughts),- decimation of the population or its habitats byhumans,- chance results of the probabilistic events in thelives of individuals (sex determination, location ofmates, breeding success, survival), and- interactions among these factors.

Models of population dynamics which incorporatecauses of fluctuations in population size in order topredict probabilities of extinction, and to helpidentify the processes which contribute to apopulation's vulnerability, are used in PopulationViability Analysis (PVA).

In theory, simulation programmes can be used tobuild models of population dynamics that include allthe knowledge of the system which is available toexperts. In practice, the models will be simpler,because some factors are judged unlikely to beimportant, and because the persons whodeveloped the model did not have access to the fullarray of expert knowledge.

PVA models also have weaknesses and limitations.A model of the population dynamics does not

define the goals for conservation planning. Goals,in terms of population growth, probability ofpersistence, number of extant populations, geneticdiversity, or other measures of populationperformance must be defined by the managementauthorities before the results of populationmodeling can be used.

The VORTEX Population Viability Analysis ModelFor the analyses presented here, the VORTEX

computer software for population viability analysiswas used. VORTEX models the randomness ofreproduction and deaths among individuals in apopulation, environmental variation in the annualbirth and death rates, the impacts of sporadiccatastrophes, and the effects of inbreeding in smallpopulations. VORTEX also allows analysis of theeffects of losses or gains in habitat, harvest orsupplementation of populations, and movement ofindividuals among local populations.VORTEX models loss of genetic variation in popu-lations, by simulating the transmission of allelesfrom parents to offspring at a hypothetical geneticlocus. Each animal at the start of the simulation isassigned two unique alleles at the locus. Duringthe simulation, VORTEX monitors how many of theoriginal alleles remain within the population, andthe average heterozygosity and gene diversity (or"expected heterozygosity") relative to the startinglevels. VORTEX also monitors the inbreedingcoefficients of each animal, and can reduce thejuvenile survival of inbred animals to model theeffects of inbreeding depression.

VORTEX is an individual-based model. That is, VORTEX

creates a representation of each animal in itsmemory and follows the fate of the animal througheach year of its lifetime. It keeps track of the sex,age, and parentage of each animal. Demographicevents (birth, sex determination, mating, dispersal,and death) are modeled by determining for eachanimal in each year of the simulation whether anyof the events occur. Events occur according to thespecified age and sex-specific probabilities. Demo-graphic stochasticity is therefore a consequence ofthe uncertainty regarding whether each demo-graphic event occurs for any given animal.VORTEX requires a lot of population-specific data. Forexample, the user must specify the amount ofannual variation in each demographic rate causedby fluctuations in the environment. In addition, thefrequency of each type of catastrophe (drought,flood, epidemic disease) and the effects of thecatastrophes on survival and reproduction must bespecified. Rates of migration (dispersal) betweeneach pair of local populations must be specified.Because VORTEX requires specification of manybiological parameters, it is not necessarily a goodmodel for the examination of population dynamicsthat would result from some generalized lifehistory. It is most usefully applied to the analysis ofa specific population in a specific environment.

Simulation Modeling and Population Viability Analysis


Where Hoolock Gibbons can be found -- but for how long ?Looking at the list of places thathold Hoolock Gibbons, at first onemight be heartened that so manyhoolocks occur in all those places(see map). One might think wedon't have to worry then !

Noooooooo ! While it is true thatthere are about 2753 hoolocks in155 localities, we DO have toworry ... we have to worry a lot !

IF there were more hoolocks ineach of those localities (at least100 mature adults for example)and IF those localities were lessdisturbed forest instead of morepopulated human areas wherepeople gather forest produce,conduct logging operations, putdown pipeline, and actually hunthoolocks for food, medicine andzoos then, yes, we may not haveto worry so much.

Each of those localities, however,has at least one human-causedthreat, and some of them 3-5threats. So, we worry !

Also, and this is very important,the total number of hoolocks inBangladesh or India is not soimportant, but the fact that thereare small numbers in isolated andfragmented localities or pockets ofhabitat is what is important. Inthis instance any number lessthan 50-100 is "small". Why isthat important? It is becausemost of these different localitiesare not contiguous. And... whatdoes that mean ? If theselocalities are not contiguous, itmeans that a Hoolock Gibbon fromone locality can't safely or easilygo to another locality. That meansthat the mateless hoolocks in onelocality can't go to other localitiesto find mates. Hoolock Gibbonbehaviour is such that they formpair bonds, like human beings aresaid to do and that means that aslong as they live, they keep thatpartner. What do singles do then?

If they try to mate with alreadymated individuals, fights, injuriesand deaths can occur. If they matea close relative like a sibling,inbreeding occurs which, if

continued, leads to birth defects,loss of fitness and other problems.

Population scientists differentiatebetween the �total number� ofHoolock Gibbons and �breedingadults�. That is because a young(non-adult) Hoolock Gibbondoesn�t reach breeding age for 6-8 years. Until they start breeding,they can�t contribute to the totalnumbers with their offspring.Their young also remain parentsfor years, unlike many animalswhich become independent veryquickly. Hoolock parents don�tproduce another infant until theirprevious one can fend for himselfwhich takes about six years.Therefore there is a long inter-birth interval. Also there is usuallyonly one offspring per birth, unlikemany other animals which haveseveral offspring per litter. This ishow the Hoolock Gibbon�sbiology affects its populationgrowth and its survival as aspecies.

That is just the "tip of the iceberg"of obstacles to population growthof Hoolock Gibbons. We haven'teven touched the topic of howdelicate they are, how sensitive,and how almost any threat can

put them off their normalbehaviour for a long time. Or howthey mate for life and if one diesthe other mourns for years,perhaps the rest of its life.

That is why, in Bangladesh, theHoolock Gibbon was assessed asCritically Endangered. Theprobability of any hoolockssurviving under the presentconditions is very poor. No moreHoolock Gibbons for Bangladeshafter just a decade or twoperhaps.

The very important fact toremember about this sad situationis that human beings did this tohoolocks. Human beings havespread out everywhere into theforest, constructed buildings, laidpipelines, captured animals forzoos, for food and for medicineand generally destroyed theforests that are home to hoolocks.

Maybe we can survive in thisworld without Hoolock Gibbonsbut we can't survive withoutforests. The two are inter-related.If we protect the animals, weautomatically protect the forestsand the forests help us sustain lifeitself.

Numbers indicate fragmentswhere Hoolock Gibbons are found

Source: Das et al. (2003).


Arunachal PradeshChanglang ?Manabhum RF? 18Mehao WLS? 48Miao RF 2Namdhapa NP 45Pirap ?

113AssamAbhayapuri 0Amreng 10Bagser 18Barail 1 0Barail 2 3Barail 3 8Barjuri 0Bogikhas 0Bokajan 5Borajan WLS 8Buridehing NB 10Buridehing SB 11Chandubi 12Choigaon 2Daldali 15Deosur Hill 2Deosur 7Dessai Valley 15Dhanshiri 25Dibang valley 13Dibrisoikhowa 30Digboi East 3Digboi West 7Dilli 4Dirak 19Disama 8Doboka 30Dolamora 0Doomdoma 5Gibbon WLS 57Gorbhanga 20Hahkhati 3Haithapathar 19Innerline 1 30Innerline 2 50Innerline 3 80

Jaypur 69Jhunthung 20Jorsal 0Kafitoli 5Kakajan 17Kalapahar 2Kalioni 30Kamakhya 12Kashumari 2Kashumari Part II 2Katakhal 1 0Katakhal 2 0Kaziranga NP 1 45Kaziranga NP 2 28Kholahat 20Khongkhal 5Khurriming 35Killing 3Koonbamun 15Kotha 8Kulsi 20Kumsang 2Kundilkalia 25Kuwasing 10Langluksho 12Langtingmupa 110Longai 45Longnit 45Lower Dehring 201Lumding 59Mahamaya 5Mikir hill 40Misaki 9N. Cachar 60Nambar 18North Diju 12Panbari 10Pantan 0Patharia 72Patradisha 10Pengri 3Philobari 7Popahanga 5Ranigarhbhanga 18Singla 25South Amchang 18

South Diju 10Suang 15Takowani 5Tarani 20Tengapani 25Tikok 10Tipong 7Tirap 1 9Tirap 2 10Upper Dehring 156Upper Jiri 0W. Mikir Hills 30

1985MeghalayaBaghmara RF 7Balpakram NP 15Jaintia Hills 10Nokrek NP 25Nongkhylum WLS 3Rewak RF 2Saiphung RF 14Siju WLS 12Songsek RF 18West Garo 130

236MizoramDampa WLS 20Khaunglung WLS 36Lengteng WLS 24Murlen NP 8Ngengpui RF 1Ngengpui WLS 3Phawngh 6Tawi WLS 22

120TripuraGumti 17N Tripura 58Trishna 22

97

Total 2753

Barolekha 8Patharia 2Lathitila 3Lawachara 37Chautoli 5Kalinji 16Adampur 16Horinchara 0Kalenga 1Satchari 7Hazarikhil 0Kaptai 14Chunati 0Satghar 0Padua 0Bhomarighona 0Himchari 0Inani 5Ukhia 6Hnila 0Teknaf 0Bamu 14Bangdepa 8Bishari 7Thanchi 7Rampahar 16Dighinala 7Pablakhali 4Massalong NDLama NDDhopachari 7Sazak 12Whykong ND

Total 202

Localities of Hoolock Gibbons in Bangladesh and India

Popln. Size Popln. Size

Eight localities inBangladesh have lostHoolock Gibbonbetween 2002 and2005.

Hoolock Gibbons havegone extinct locally in10 localities in Indiabetween 2002 and2005.

NP - National Park; RF - Reserve Forest; WLS - Wildlife Sanctuary; SB - South Block; NB - North Block; ND - No data

IndiaPopln. SizePopln. Size

Bangladesh

According to recentsurveys, somelocations inArunachal Pradeshcould have theeastern sub speciesH.h. leuconedys


The Western Hoolock Gibbon is restricted to a veryfew viable forest habitats. These gibbons may bethe most vulnerable to habitat destruction of allprimate species of South Asia as they are strictlycanopy dwellers. Their survival potential is furthercompromised by their biology and behaviour as theyare late and monogamous breeders; they maintaina small group size and require long-term parentalcare as compared to other species. In other wordsthey breed only when they are older compared toother species, and seldom, and with one mate only,and they do not become independent for severalyears. They dwell in the higher parts of treeswhich, when destroyed, don't grow back fordecades. Modern life doesn't give forests time orplace to recoup, so working habitats which supportthis species grow fewer and fewer.

The Hoolock is distributed throughout its geographicrange as a large number of isolated populationswithin a highly fragmented forest ecosystem.Because of this extensive degree of populationfragmentation, many Hoolock populations are nodoubt at significant risk of imminent extinction. It isimportant to determine the best possiblemanagement strategies for the security and viabilityof this species into the future. Perhaps the best toolfor accomplishing this task is an analytical techniqueknown as population viability analysis, or PVA.

We used this form of analysis to help us answer thefollowing questions:1. What is our depth of understanding of thepopulation biology of the Hoolock?

2. Based on this understanding, what do we see asthe primary drivers or causes of Hoolock populationgrowth? To which parameters is our demographic(age and sex ratio) model most sensitive?

3. How vulnerable are small, fragmented Hoolockpopulations to local extinction in the absence ofdemographic interaction with other populations?

4. What is the relative risk to Hoolock populationviability posed by intrinsic biological processes suchas inbreeding depression? Are there analogousrisks to viability posed by extrinsic (anthropogenic)processes like poaching?

5. Specifically with respect to the populations ofWestern Hoolock Gibbon which occur only in Indiaand Bangladesh, what is the probability of thespecies� survival given its small size and greatdegree of fragmentation?.

1. Our use of the model indicated that currentunderstanding of the population biology of HoolockGibbon in the wild is not very good. The age of firstreproduction has been taken from captive records ofother species of gibbons so there is no certainty

that this information is accurate for Hoolock Gibbon.The age of last reproduction was taken as the ageof death of the individual which means that themodel is fated to underestimate the probability ofextinction because the age of last reproduction inboth sexes was taken as the age of life-span of theanimals. That is a serious lacunae, which is not theonly gap in our knowledge.

2. To answer the second question, reduction inpoaching and increase in carrying capacity, ifachievable, would be the primary drivers ofpopulation growth.

3. Isolated populations with less than 15 individualsshowed a very high rate of extinction.

4. Inbreeding, according to the model, doesn'tmake much of a difference, at least when we usethe average inbreeding depression rate of 3.14known for captive mammals. Extrinsic factors suchas poaching, irrespective of population size orinbreeding depression drives populations toextinction more than any biological factor.

It is inevitable that most of the populations under15-20 animal will be lost. Yet there are very fewplaces with sufficient area and potential habitat forimprovement to target for conservation of HoolockGibbon by translocating or shifting these smallpopulations. Lawachara is probably the only sucharea in Bangladesh, but the recent addition of apipeline and the developmental impact andimmigration of human beings will make it extremelydifficult. India has a better chance with Upper andLower Dering which already has 357 animals and aland area of 405.9km2. For any of these sites toprovide adequate security and comfort for HoolockGibbon, however, they need not only a completecessation of human interference of any kind in thehoolock habitat but also a modicum of habitatimprovement.

Unless the mindset of the agencies responsibile forthese areas changes dramatically which involves fullgovernmental backing from the highest level ondown to others such as local workers and residents.For such fragile species we should not pin ourhopes on recovery as normally defined as that maybe impossible. A species with the biological andbehaviour characteristics of Hoolock Gibbon ispredetermined to grow at a particular rate, which isinsufficient to permit it to recover without humanintervention so drastic as to be beyondconsideration of most public officials andgovernments. However, we should not settle forless than preserving the numbers which currentlypersist. We have less than 3000 Hoolock Gibbonsnow, therefore we should aim not to lose a singlenumber or to sacrifice a single variable. If we cando better, well and good -- better is best.

Population Modeling Working Group Report


IntroductionProblems related to wild populations of Hoolock arebroadly classified into two categories Direct Effectand Indirect effect. Perhaps the most significantdirect effect is habitat loss which may be completeloss of habitat (quantitative loss) and degradationof habitat (qualitative loss). Habitat loss, bothquantitatively and qualitatively, is the mostdeterministic cause that controls Hoolock Gibbondistribution as well as its survival as a species. Thequantitative loss was assigned due to habitatencroachment, development projects, jhumcultivation practice, denotification of protectedareas, and habitat fragmentation. The qualitativeloss was assigned to commercial logging, loss offood and cover trees, jhum cultivation practice,illegal felling, habitat fragmentation, monocultureplantation, infrastructure development (roads,dams), and other developmental projects. Otherissues such as inadequate legislative support,livelihood issues of local people. poaching andhunting, demographic factors, etc. were alsodiscussed.

Goal ITo arrest habitat loss

Action PlanTwo fold actions are proposed to achieve the goalof arresting the loss of habitat, one by makinggood of the quantitative losses to the habitat, andsecond by restoring the qualitative losses to theexisting habitat. Following specific Action Points areproposed:

1. The quantitative losses can be made good of byreclaiming encroached land by invoking theenabling legislative measures and by undertakingrehabilitation activities for the people to movethem outside the Hoolock habitat.

2. The qualitative losses can be restored byimproving the degraded Hoolock habitats;facilitating aided natural regeneration, raising newplantations of food species, improving the canopycover, and improving water regime inside gibbonhabitat; completely checking illegal felling/cutting oftrees; completely stopping or minimizing thecollection of non-wood forest products by the localhuman populations from the Hoolock habitat;invoking the Conservation and Community ReserveProvisions of the Wildlife (P) Act of India to linkfragmented Protected Areas having critical Hoolockhabitat and population; facilitating canopyconnectivity using bamboo bridges (successfullydone in Assam).

Goal IITo create political will in favour of conservationAction Plan by conducting conservation awarenessprogrammes for policy makers and politicians;

Wild Population Management Working Groupmotivating the media to win favour of politicians byprojecting ecological and economic benefitsaccruing through gibbon conservation programmes;highlighting the economic and other benefits to thelocal people from conservation of Hoolock and theirhabitat, which in turn may convince politiciansabout its importance; involving tribal or religiousleaders, drawing up the conservation awarenessprogrammes; creating publicity/extension wings /divisions/cells, etc., in the forest department forperiodic and regular documentation anddissemination of success stories linking gibbonconservation with economic development of localhuman communities and preparing educationalmaterials specifically tailor made for politicians andreligious leaders for awareness.

Action Plan to receive legislative support forpreventing illegal activities for conservation ofHoolock1. Creation of infrastructures (e.g., protectioncamps, wireless networks, transportation facilities,watch towers, etc.) for enabling staff to performprotection activities effectively.2. Introduction of enabling amendments in theWildlife Protection Act of Bangladesh to make iteffective for Hoolock conservation in contemporaryfield situation.3. Constituting co-ordination committees consist-ing of members from other enforcementagencies (Police, Customs, Judiciary, DistrictAdministration, Armed Forces, Paramilitaryservices, etc.) for supplementing and strengtheningthe Wildlife legislation with enablingprovisions of other Acts/Legislation for effectiveconservation of gibbon habitat and population.4. Creation and nuturing working relationships withNGOs & other research and academic Institutions.5. Induction of local communities to impartprotection in the Hoolock habitat in lieu of thecommunity based economic benefits rendered tothem by the Forest Department.6. Filling all the vacant posts especially in gibbonareas and providing them training in wildliferelated legislation and its implementationtechniques.7. Initiation of in-service training programmesespecially for the front-line staff in various aspectsof wildlife conservation with special reference tothe conservation of Hoolock habitat andpopulation. These training courses may coveraspects related with habitat improvement,conducting population estimation, undertakingeffective community based programmes, wildlifelaws, etc.8. Sensitising lawyers, judges and policy makers inthe importance of Hoolock conservation throughtheme based seminars/discussions etc.


Habitat and Distribution in Bangladesh Working GroupThe Habitat and Distribution working groupidentified the following problems as priority uponwhich action should be taken as soon as possible.They did not exclude other problems from discussionand developed action plans, however. The priorityproblems were listed as Habitat loss, Humaninterference, agriculture, development, extractionand alien species. The problems of habitat anddistribution in Bangladesh were addressed bycreating goals, Action Plans to achieve them andassigning individuals and institutions forimplementation.

Goal I & Action PlanTo earn firm commitment from politicians and policymakers for wildlife and habitat protection. TheAction Plan consisted of :Organizing conservation awareness programme forthe politicians and policy makers.Publicizing the successful Hoolock conservationcases in the media.Projecting the economic benefit to the localcommunities through Hoolock relatedconservation programme.

Goal II & Action PlanTo assess and evaluate present status anddistribution of Hoolock and its habitats inBangladesh. The Action Plans are :Create more posts for wildlife conservation atdifferent levels by imparting training to the staff,developing suitable infrastructure to facilitate thestaff to assess and evaluate gibbon habitat andpopulation, adopting proper scientific methods forperiodic estimation and assessment of hoolockpopulation and habitat, developing vibrant andworking coordination between research/academicinstitutions and forest department. Hoolockresearchers based in universities, ministries anddepartments of Bangladesh will follow up on thisaction.

Goal III & Action PlanTo generate alternative livelihood to check illegalactivities in and around Hoolock habitats. Plan ofAction :To discourage local illicitors, joint efforts bedeveloped for their alternative livelihood in andaround Hoolock habitats. Conservation NGOs,Hoolock researchers government officials, localelites, religious leaders, and media will be involvedin follow up.

Goal IV and Action PlanTo minimize human and other biotic pressure onHoolock habitats by initiating, facilitating andunderstanding community based programmes (eg,eco-development, eco-tourism, joint conservationefforts, etc.) in and around Hoolock habitats by theNGO's, researchers, government officials, local elite,religious leaders, and media.

Goal V & Action PlanTo create public awareness among primarystakeholders by developing informal educationalprogramme for different stakeholders in andaround Hoolock habitats; by organizingprogrammes for school children to sensitize themabout importance of gibbon conservation, bydeclaring and celebrating wildlife week, gibbon day,etc. with the active participation of localcommunities, children, and other stakeholders, byorganizing theme based seminars and workshopsby NGOs, researchers, government officials, localelite, religious leaders, and media.

Goal VI & Action PlanTo create digital database for gibbon populationand habitat, including having GIS images for entireHoolock habitats to digitize hoolock population andhabitats for future comparison and managementplan. Work can be done by researchers,government officials, and Space and RemoteSensing Organization of Bangladesh (SPARSO).

Goal VII & Action PlanTo achieve greater understanding of Hoolockgibbon in Bangladesh by Collecting accuratedemographic and ecological data as well ascondition of the gibbon habitats in the country,which should include-Demographic data of Hoolock in each habitat.Digitalized distribution of Hoolock in each habitat.Assessment of the habitat condition of hoolocks inits past and present ranges.Longterm monitoring of population dynamics ofhoolock in the country. Work to be done by theGibbon specialist group of the country.

Goal VIII & Action PlanTo improve the socio-economic as well aseducational status of the people and alleviatepoverty by initiating, facilitating and understandingcommunity based programs (eg, eco-development,eco-tourism, joint conservation efforts, etc.) in andaround Hoolock habitats by different NGOs shouldbe engaged to undertake poverty alleviationproject in and around Hoolock habitats undersupervision of FD (Wildlife Circle).


The Habitat and Distribution Working Group putforth that socio-political issues, mainly insurgencyand boundary disputes, are hindering thedistribution studies. Other hindrances are lack ofinfrastructure and difficult physiographic andclimatic condition. Multiple factors such asencroachment, illegal timber extraction, lack ofinfrastructure, lack of enforcement of law, jhumcultivation, affect the habitat of Hoolock Gibbon inIndia. Their goals and action plans were organisedas follows :

GOALSKeeping in mind the problem statements, the goalsrequired to overcome these problems are:Develop political willCoordinate between various agenciesImprovement of communication facilitiesEviction of encroachersDemarcation of forest boundariesEnforce strict policingMore man-power for protectionTraining on legal issuesEducate the community and religious leadersMinimize jhum cultivation

ACTION STATEMENTS

Arrest habitat lossPrepare a detailed memorandum for theconservation of Hoolock Gibbons and submit thesame to the state and central government. Includethe recommendations of the PHVA workshop in thememorandum. Prepare a project proposal andsubmit the same to the Central govt. for declaringa "Project Gibbon" for the conservation of thespecies in its totality in line with Project Tiger orProject Elephant.

Create a better understanding of Hoolock GibbondistributionConduct surveys in unexplored habitat of hoolocksin northeastern states and re-evaluate the currentstatus of previously surveyed areas and undertakeextensive field research on several ecologicalparameters of Hoolock Gibbons.

Strengthen the Political willBuild up pressure on the government andpoliticians through involvement of celebrities asambassadors of Hoolock conservation in the wild.

Strengthen socio-economic as well aseducational status of people to alleviate povertyConduct socio-economic survey among the fringearea people. Also, promote sustainable ecotourismand ecodevelopment activities while creatingcommunity forests to generate biomass (such asfuel wood, fodder, small timber etc). Check crossborder human infiltration.

Create more manpower for protection of HoolockGibbon habitatImpress upon the government and try to accordsanction for the creation of new posts of wildlifeprotective staff, in the staff crunched HoolockGibbon habitats of northeastern India. Train theexisting and newly recruited staff and equip themwith advanced gadgets for effectiveimplementation of the law for the conservation ofthe species. Provide incentives to the staff foroutstanding services towards gibbon conservation.

Strengthen legislative support for preventingillegal activitiesHelp the judiciary with necessary informationthrough manuals and documents for speedy actionon the cases related to wildlife in general andHoolock Gibbon in particular. Establish more greenbenches for fast solving of legal issues on wildlife.

Habitat and Distribution in India Working Group


The socio-economic status of the people living inand around the Hoolock Gibbon range area isunder the influence of increasing poverty, lowliteracy, population explosion, and priority forpersonal needs and agenda. Thus people�seconomic status affects the Hoolock populationdirectly or indirectly and also become a majorbarrier towards Hoolock conservation. The societyincluding media, various stakeholders and policymakers (politicians and government officials) is notcommitted towards species conservation. Theconservation progress is also hampered due to theprevailing negative mindset based on religiousreasons.

The present education system is not unified,particularly for Bangladesh, due to religious viewsand social status. Proper education system atfundamental level is also lacking for want of trainedteachers and inexperienced policymakers. Transferof species information to the society is hampereddue to non-availability of complete speciesinformation and its ecology. The existing speciesinformation is not easily available due tounmanaged information dissemination.

Implementation of existing conservation laws andgeneral laws are not adequate due to lack of lawenforcement. Political insurgency is also a majorissue that hinders conservation activities. Thenegative influence of political leaders upon the lawenforcing agencies is a barrier.

GoalsTo achieve overall conservation objective goalswere set for each theme by the group to addressthe problem. The goals were prioritized usingpaired ranking and the actions listed which wouldbring about successful reaching of the goals.

Actions proposed by Political and Publicawareness Working Group

Goal 1: Improve the socio-economic as well aseducational status of the people and alleviatepoverty1. Conduct survey to collect data on Hoolockpopulation habitat status threats ecologicalparameters by researchers, fieldworkers (who areworking in and around the Hoolock area) localpeople, representatives from GOs and NGOs2. Study to understand status and attitude of thelocal people and various stakeholders towards theHoolock species by researchers, fieldworkers (whoare working in and around the Hoolock area) localpeople, representatives from GOs and NGOs3. To educate and motivate local people throughvarious technique and involve them in theconservation by GOs, NGOs, participation of localpeople.

Political and Public Awareness Working GroupGoal 2: To strengthen education system andteaching capacity there by including conservationtopics in formal and in informal education.1. Revise school curriculum including conservationbiology that should provide compulsory field trips2. Conduct national level training for the teachersto educate the local people3. Develop education tools/techniques for informaleducation especially for Hoolock4. Create interest among teachers through inservice training5. Implement compulsory primary education for thelocal people live in and around the Hoolock habitat.

Goal 3 : To create an attitudinal change towardsconservation among the politicians and generalpublic.Action: Formation of village level eco-developmentcommittees involving local people and stakeholdersto conserve Hoolock and its habitat throughparticipatory management.

Goal 4: Networking all specialists, policymakersand law enforcement agencies and disseminatethe information.Action: A network of primates should be initiatedand information dissemination can be done throughpublication like newsletters, reviews, anddirectories.

Goal 5: Create species and habitat informationfor the public.Action: Formulate database on species and habitatinformation and uploading the information on webthat should be available for layman in forms likedocumentary films.

Goal 6: To strengthenconservation through wildlifelaws. Actions: Amendment ofexisting laws with the presentscenario, which shouldemphasis on species andhabitat conservation.

Goal 7: To unify all educationsystem under one. Action:Explore and bring to light thereligious truth about wildlifeand its conservation tomotivate religious leaders/teacher to promote wildlifeconservation that may alterthe religion based educationsystem.


According to the IUCN Technical Guidelines on theManagement of ex situ Populations forConservation (IUCN, 2002), Hoolock Gibbonqualifies for ex situ management on two principlesunder the IUCN Red List Criteria quoted in theGuidelines, e.g., : "1. When the taxa/population isprone to effects of human activities or stochasticevents and 2. When the taxa/population is likely tobecome Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild,or Extinct in a very short time" as well as the fact ofits biological uniqueness and cultural importance.

The Working Group prioritized Conservation,Husbandry, Welfare, Public Education and Researchin that order.

Zoo Conservation can best be served by definingthe conservation purpose of Hoolock Gibbon inzoos to education, research and breeding incaptivity for exchange with other South Asiancountry zoos. This is intended to strengthenexisting and future legislation in both India andBangladesh which strictly prohibits the capture ofHoolock Gibbon from the wild for any purpose.

Improvement of ManagementImprove the overall scientific management ofHoolock Gibbon in captivity by:· The creation of a systematic management planfor general animal well-being including monitoringprotocols, records improvement (ISIS, ARKS), visitormanagement to reduce stress and diseasetransmission, health/sanitation/pest management.· Creation of a regional studbook (SPARKS), and aregional cooperative breeding programme· Creation of a scientific captive managementmanual as a living document with regular updating.· Provide training to staff for improvement ofmanagement and create a research environment.· Ensure continuity of staff by convincinggovernment to make appropriate changes in thezoo administration to retain staff who haveacquired training, experience, expertise andinterest in Hoolock Gibbon.. Improve enclosures to increase comfort and wellbeing, sanitation, and general quality of life.

Zoo Education/AwarenessTo initiate a comprehensive public educationprogramme for Hoolock Gibbon (both in the zooand outreach including in and near Hoolockhabitats) for all levels of people in urban and ruralareas, particularly in the localities of HoolockGibbon, and provide training for potentialeducators for more effective teaching which wouldeffect a change in attitude and actions relating tosurvival of Hoolock Gibbons.

ACTION steps -- Most important priorities : ZooConservation

Captive Management Working GroupProblem : Zoos in South Asia do not have a goodtrack record for keeping and breeding delicateanimals. Taking animals from the wild with the ideaof conducting captive breeding for reintroductionand conservation has resulted in loss of importantindividuals from small wild populations. Moreover,but for one instance, captive breeding has notbeen successful. Further, in many localities, thereis not sufficient or secure habitat for reintroduction.Existing legislation in both India and Bangladeshstrictly prohibits the capture of Hoolock Gibbon fromthe wild, yet it has taken place. The PopulationModelling Group found that populations with lessthan twenty individuals were highly vulnerable toextinction processes, if even a single adultindividual was harvested annually. In case of afamily group harvested the probability of extinctionincreases manifold.

Goal : To curtail the trapping of Hoolock Gibbonsfrom the wild for captive breeding / conservationuntil techniques for success are well establishedand the causes of population decline in targetlocalities of the habitat have been established andcurtailed.

Action : The PHVA Workshop participantsoverwhelmingly agreed that the conservationpurpose of Hoolock Gibbon in zoos should belimited to education, research and breeding forexchange with other range country zoos, and thatno more animals should be taken from the wild forthis purpose. The organizers of the HoolockGibbon PHVA will draft a letter recommending thatthe government endorse this view at a policy level.This action is intended to stop zoos/safaris/breeding centres from placing orders of gibbonsfrom trappers and even from capturing through therelevant department for captive breeding untilexpertise is established and the Guidelines of theReintroduction Specialist Group can be met.

Continuity of Staff caring for Hoolock GibbonProblem : The staff of zoos and other captivefacilities both in India and Bangladesh is frequentlytransferred and with them expertise gleanedduring their tenure.

Goal : To request government to makeappropriate changes in the zoo administration toensure continuity of zoo staff who have acquiredtraining, experience, expertise and interest in thecare and management of Hoolock Gibbon.

Action Step :Enlist knowledgeable and influential people to workon this step with government, to write letters, tovisit officials, to general work towards this goal.


How Hoolock got its name(s)Alan Mootnick*

IntroductionGibbons, Family Hylobatidae, are the smallest ofthe five ape species. Apes are known for having amuch larger brain than a monkey of the same size,having longer arms than legs, and for theplacement of their shoulders, which allows apes tobe true brachiators (swinging from branch tobranch). Depending on the species, an adultgibbon weighs between 6 and 20 Kilos. They arethe only nonhuman primates that naturally walkupright, and do not need to rely on hands to walk.When standing, some gibbon species are as tall as91 centimeters. Because gibbons� arms areapproximately 1.5 times longer than their legs,their arms can act as pendulums when swinging(brachiating) through the forest canopy. From ahanging position, they are able to pull themselves4 meters horizontally to the next branch, and oncemomentum is created, able to they are brachiate atspeeds of 40 kilometers per hour, with leaps of 15meters in a horizontal plane. They are the onlynonhuman primates that can pull their body in anupwards motion during brachiation. Because of allthis, they are known as the world�s greatestacrobats.

The name gibbon could be derived from the Latinword, �gibbus�, meaning hump or hunchback, whichis a typical sitting posture of a gibbon, or from anold Chaldic word meaning ape.

The gibbon and orangutan are the only apes nativeto the Asian forests. The orangutan is only found inSoutheast Asia, whereas the gibbon inhabits thetropical and semi-deciduous forests of South, East,and Southeast Asia. Gibbons are distributed fromNortheastern India and Bangladesh eastward toYunnan China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand,and south to the Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatra,Borneo, and Java.

Gibbons are characterized by long-term pairbonding. The gibbons� territorial vocalization can beheard up to 2 kilometers, which helps define theirboundaries to neighbouring gibbons. A gibbonfamily consists of an adult male and female, andfrom 1 to 4 offspring. Once the offspring aresexually mature, they leave their family group toestablish their own territory. The gibbons� long,razor sharp canines assists them in territorialdefense, in holding fruit in their mouth whentraveling through the forest canopy, and openingtough-skinned fruits. Over the years, numerousscientists have studied gibbon behaviour in theAsian forests, but because of the gibbons� elusivenature, they are not easily observed.Understanding more about this fascinating primategives us better insight into our ecosystems. Sincegibbons eat an abundance of fruit, and require upto 200 hectares of forest for their family to survive,

the gibbon aids with seed dispersal in theregeneration of new trees.

Gibbons are recognized as belonging to fourgenera and 13 species. Some gibbon species gothrough coat colour changes during infancy andbefore adulthood. All gibbons are recognized asendangered, and the rarest primate in the wild isone of the gibbon species, Nomascus nasutushainanus. This species is found on the island ofHainan China, with only 17 individuals surviving.Depending on which country a gibbon lives in, theirdemise is due to: loss of habitat by forest fires andlogging, collection of wood for cooking, capture forthe pet trade, medicinal purposes, use as a foodsource, and, in some cases, to obtain the bonesfrom their forearms for chop sticks. Only infantgibbons are desirable in the pet trade. Once acaptive gibbon is an adult, it is not manageable. Inorder to obtain an infant gibbon from the forest, apoacher shoots the mother, and if the infantsurvives the fall from the forest canopy, the infantwill end up in a marketplace waiting for someone topurchase it. Generally the infant gibbon ismalnourished during its time away from its family,and rarely survives to maturity. With the rapiddecrease of the forests worldwide, gibbons sufferfrom this loss. The gibbons� vocalizations are thesounds of the forest, and when the forestvanishes, so will their territorial call.

Note regarding Hoolock genus nameBefore 1982 there were three subgenera ofgibbon, and the hoolock gibbon was classified inthe subgenus Hylobates with the other 44-chromosome gibbons. In 1983, Prouty, Buchanan,Politzer, and Mootnick published their findings thathoolock gibbons have 38 chromosomes, and thatthis species has enough morphological differencesto be placed in its own subgenus. The name thatwas chosen was Bunopithecus, from the fossilgibbon jaw named by Frisch. Unfortunately, thedentition on the jaw resembled that of an ancestorof the concolor gibbon more than that of thehoolock gibbon. For this reason, the nameBunopithecus was not the best choice for thesubgenus name for the hoolock gibbon. In 2005,Mootnick and Groves elevated all the gibbonsubgenera to genus level, and at the same time,changed the genus name of the hoolock gibbon toHoolock.

*Director, Gibbon Conservation Center, Santa Clarita,California, http://gibboncenter.org


Hoolock Gibbon in Captivity : from 1875 to the presentHoolock Gibbons have not beenexported to foreign countries likeother Gibbons. There is not evenan international studbook forHoolock.

But the earliest record perhaps ofany gibbon in captivity andcertainly the first managementinformation occurred in the firstzoo management book in theworld, written by an Indian namedR. B. Sanyal.

In India in the latter part of the19th Century the Calcutta Zoohad a pair of Hoolocks which hadlived there for nine years. Zoosuperintendent, Sanyal, wrotethree and a half pages aboutaspects of hoolocks and gibbonsgenerally, stating that their lengthof life was not normally so long asthose currently in the zoo.

Sanyal's book about zoomanagment, described in the mostinteresting fashion, the way tokeep a variety of animals,including their treatment in healthand in sickness, their diet,housing, need for exercise, toys,etc. He closely observed thehabits of Hoolocks. He describestheir lovingly hugging personswho fed them treats such as bunsand fruits by twining their longarms around their necks.Conversely they also exhibited anextreme jealousy when theirattendant did not give themattention before the othermonkeys at a time when theywere housed together.

Best of all, Sanyal wrote, therewas an elderly female HoolockGibbon who developed an"inveterate hatred" of femalehuman beings which became anobcession. On seeing a lady, shebecame furious, dashing violentlyagainst the bars of the cage. Sheused to poke her long armsthrough the bars try to dragwomen towards her, or at leastfilch a handkerchief, purse orbonnet."

Sanyal ends his discourse bycontributing information gleaned

from travellers in the North Eastthat Hoolocks from the Assamforests bear captivity better thanthose from Chittagong andArracan (now Bangladesh). Healso observed that a hoolock hadthe habit of using its hand toscoop up water or milk to drinkrather than lapping from its bowl.Today, in India 9 zoos hold 17Hoolock Gibbons but one neverreads such interesting obser-vations anymore and more's thepity. Anyway, Hoolock Gibbons arejust as much fun to watch nowand then and they can be seen inthe listed below zoos :

List of zoos holding WesternHoolock Gibbon in India and inBangladesh

IndiaAssam State Zoo 1.0Bokakhat Rescue Centre 0.1Delhi Zoo 0.1Imphal Zoo, Manipur 1.1Sepahijala Zoo, Tripura 0.1Lucknow Zoo 1.1Itanagar, Arunachal Prad. 0.0.1Aizawal Zoo, Mizoram 2.4Miao Zoo, Arunachal Prad 2.0Total 7.9.1

BangladeshDhaka Zoo 3.1Dulhazara Safari Park 1.1Total 4.2

Hoolock Gibbons are one of themost popular animals in the zoosof India and Bangladesh, whichare almost the only nations whichhave the western variety. TheEastern form of Hoolock Gibbonsoccurs in Myanmar although we donot know whether they are intheir zoo, but we do know thatAlan Mootnick, who is one of thetwo persons who renamedHoolock Gibbon has a couple ofpairs in his Gibbon BreedingCentre where he hopes to keepthem happy and healthy enoughto reproduce.

Important References

Groves, C. (2001). Primate Taxonomy. Smithsonian Institution Press, 350pp.

Das, J., M.M. Feeroz, M.A. Islam, J. Biswas, P. Bujarborua, D. Chetry, R. Medhi andJ. Bose (2003). Distribution of Hoolock Gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock hoolock) in Indiaand Bangladesh. Zoos� Print Journal 18(1): 969-976.

Das, J., J. Biswas, P.C. Bhattacharjee and S.M. Mohnot (2006). First distributionrecords of the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock leuconedys from India. Zoos�Print Journal 21(7): 2316-2320.

Molur, S., D. Brandon-Jones, W. Dittus, A. Eudey, A. Kumar, M. Singh, M.M. Feeroz,M. Chalise, P. Priya, S. Walker (Editors) (2003). Status of South Asian Primates:Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (C.A.M.P.) Workshop Report,2003. Zoo Outreach Organisation/ CBSG, South Asia, Coimbatore, India, viii+432pp

Molur, S., S. Walker, A. Islam, P. Miller, C. Srinivasulu, P.O. Nameer, B.A. Daniel andL. Ravikumar (Editors) (2005). Conservation of Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolockhoolock hoolock) in India and Bangladesh. Zoo Outreach Organisation/CBSG-SouthAsia, Coimbatore, India, 132 pp.

Mootnick, A.R. and C. Groves (2005). A new generic name for the Hoolock Gibbon(Hylobatidae). International Journal of Primatology. 26(4): 971-976.


Apes and gibbonswith their slow,deliberatemovements, andfrightening whenthey do decide tomove.

Sometimes theyscare visitors halfto death with aviolent suddenmovement whichseems completelyout of characterafter watchingthem movearound in slow motion for awhile.

ChimpanzeesChimpanzees

are said tobe the mostlike man of

any ape.Their

behaviour,movements,

agility aremost like

manalthoughthey are

faster andstronger

than any human being.

Chimpanzees have beenstudied a great deal todetermine whether they areeven more like man than wethink. When it was observedthat Chimpanzees were usingstraws to put in holes in a logto catch termites, there wasgreat excitement as the use oftools to accomplish tasks wasconsidered a uniquely humantrait.

GibbonsGibbons are found only in Asiaand that too only in South andSouth East Asia and someareas of East Asia, China,Taiwan, etc.

Gibbons can also walk on theirback legs without difficulty.Their arms are long and strongenough to remain up in the airclimbing between branches fordays at a time. Gibbons aresome of the most popular zoo

animalsalso, owingto theirraucous cry,so easilyimitated bychildren ...hoohoo hoo hooowhoop whoopwhoop!

Gibbons of theWorldFamily: Hylobatidae

Hoolock gibbonsHoolock hoolock hoolockHoolock hoolock leuconedys

Hylobates group of gibbonsHylobates agilis agilisHylobates agilis unkoHylobates albibarbisHylobates klossiiHylobates lar carpenteriHylobates lar entelloidesHylobates lar larHylobates lar vestitiusHylobates lar yunnanensisHylobates molochHylobates muelleri abbottiHylobates muelleri funereusHylobates muelleri muelleriHylobates pileatus

Nomascus group of gibbonsNomascus concolor concolorNomascus concolor luNomascus gabriellaeNomascus leucogenys leucogenysNomascus leucogenys sikiNomascus nasutus hainanusNomascus nasutus nasustus

SiamangSymphalangus syndactyluscontinentusSymphalangus syndactylussyndactylus

Source: Alan Mootinic in litt., 5July 2006

All apes are primates but not allprimates are apes ! There areabout 230 groups and speciesof primates, from the tinymouse lemur or slender loris(either of which would fit in thepalm of your hand) up to theEastern Lowland Gorilla, thelargest of its species, which isfar larger, heavier and strongerthan the largest man, exceptperhaps a sumo wrestler, buteven a sumo wrestler wouldhave a hard time beating up ona gorilla.

HumansHuman beings aredistinguished from theother apes by theirintellect, facility withlanguage, and abilityto use tools. Humanbeings, like cock-roaches, can befound in every nookand corner of theearth.

GorillasGorillas are different from theother apes by their size,strength, appearance andbehaviour. There are twospecies and four subspecies ofgorillas, all found in thecontinent of Africa.

OrangutansOrangutans can be identified bytheir long red hair and very longarms which seem to drag theground when they walk. Allorangutans live in Borneo andin a few regions of Sumatra.There are two species oforangutans, the Sumatran withits linear build and the Borneanwhich is built stouter and morestockey than the Sumatranspecies.

Orangutans, like gorillas andchimpanzees, are very popularzoo animals. They are charming

Public EducationThe PHVA working group onEducation and Awarenesscommented that the educationsystem in general neededstrengthening. They call onconservation actionersspecifically to develop innovativematerials and means of teachingthe public about WesternHoolock Gibbon and its plight.Making efforts to take innovativeeducational to residents ofgibbon range areas would behelpful in bringing about achange of attitude towardsHoolock Gibbon so thatconservation efforts would bemore effective.

As the organisers of the PHVAworkshop, the Zoo OutreachOrganisation, CBSG, South Asiaand the Wildlife Trust ofBangladesh in collaboration withtheir local NGOs in India and inBangladesh have planned aseries of activities with materialsfunded by the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service Great ApeConservation Fund, the primarysponsor of the PHVA.

ZOO has developed a range ofmaterials, including this SummaryReport which we hope to beinteresting and useful to a largenumber of people. Othermaterials include:� a 132 page scientific Reportwhich will make a very usefulreference for foresters, policymakers, governmental agenciesin planning further actions forconservation of WHG.� a young people�s educationalpacket consisting of masks ofHoolock Gibbons (forparticipating in skits, dramas,photo sessions, play), wristbracelets with acultural significance, a booklet forkids about WHG and other smallitems which kids enjoy, smallplacard, stickers, and a beautifulcolour poster of the male andfemale Hoolock Gibbon� a drama kit for teachers andother educators who want toorganise events for promotingthe safe passage of WHGthrough its lifespan. The drama

kit consists of Guidelines, over adozen masks of differentcharacters who might appear ina drama of WHG, such as themale and female hoolock, a babyhoolock, forest animals of allkinds themselves, some typicalfigures or personalities, such asa housewife, a poacher, abusinessman, a child, etc. Thereis a book of how to organise andconduct dramas for educationwith a sampling of stories whichwould be suitable for dramasand various themes. The HoolockPHVA report and even thisSummary would provide fodderfor dramas. There is also aGuidelines booklet.

In future we hope to conductworkshops about Hoolock Gibbonusing active learning techniques,and to create a Manual abouthow to teach people to protectHoolock Gibbon.We encourage educators of allkinds � teachers, NGOs,conservation activists, etc. toorder our materials and conducteducation programmes aboutHoolock Gibbon. If you areinterested and are in India

please write to us at ZOO, Box1683, Peelamedu, Coimbatore,TN 641004 or email us at<[email protected]> for aninvitation to apply andinstructions for applying for freematerials.

If you live in Bangladesh pleasecontact the Wildlife Trust ofBangladesh at<[email protected]>

Left foot

Left hand

Left foot

Match your hand

Gorilla

Left hand

Right foot

Left hand

Orangutan

Gibbon

Western Hoolock Gibbon (female)

Art by Stephen NashHoolock hoolock hoolock

Hoolock summary cover

Documents

Transcript of Hoolock summary cover