Description

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Context:

The Centre's wildlife panel has approved a proposal to carry out oil and gas exploration in the eco-sensitive zone of the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Jorhat district.

About Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary

Aspect	Details
Location	Jorhat district, Assam, India
Significance	The only sanctuary in India named after a gibbon, due to its distinction of containing the densest gibbon populations in Assam.
Altitude	Situated at an altitude of 100–120 m (330–390 ft), with topography gently sloping downward from southeast to northwest.
River	The Bhogdoi River creates a waterlogged region along the sanctuary's border, dominated by semi-hydrophytic plants.
Flora	Upper canopy: Dominated by Hollong trees Middle canopy: Dominated by Nahar trees Lower canopy: Comprises evergreen shrubs and herbs
Fauna	India’s only gibbons: Hoolock gibbons Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate: Bengal slow loris Indian elephants, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, wild boar, three types of civet, four types of squirrels, stump-tailed macaque, and northern pig-tailed macaque.

About National Board for Wildlife

It is established by the central government under section 5A of the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972 (WLPA).
The WLPA mandates that no construction of tourist lodges, alteration of protected area boundaries, destruction or diversion of natural habitat and de-notification of tiger reserves can be carried out without the approval/recommendation of the NBWL.
It is a 47-member committee headed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Environment, Forests and Climate Change (Minister of the Environment) as vice-chairman.

Wildlife Sanctuaries of Assam

Wildlife Sanctuary	Location	Overview	Habitat	Major Fauna	Notable Species
Barak Bhuban Wildlife Sanctuary	Barak Valley, Assam (between Barak and Sonai Rivers)	Proposed sanctuary aiming to protect the diverse primate species in the region, located in Assam's Barak Valley.	Dense forests and grasslands.	Slow loris, rhesus macaque, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, capped langur, hoolock gibbon.	Hoolock gibbon.
Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary	Baksa and Udalguri districts, Assam	Situated near Bhutan, this sanctuary is established for the conservation of the hispid hare and pygmy hog, featuring extensive grasslands.	Tropical Moist Deciduous forests, grasslands.	Hispid hare, pygmy hog, Asian elephant, tiger, gaur.	Asian elephant, Bengal florican.
Burachapari Wildlife Sanctuary	South bank of Brahmaputra River, Assam	Integral to the Laokhowa-Burachapori ecosystem and a buffer for Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, this sanctuary supports various endangered species.	Grasslands and wetlands.	Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, wild buffalo, hog deer, elephants.	Bengal florican.
Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary	Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts, Assam	Located in the hilly terrain with two key lakes, Chakrasila is crucial for the conservation of golden langurs, with a mix of hilly and wetland habitats.	Hilly terrain, lakes, and mixed forests.	Golden langur, diverse bird species.	Golden langur.
Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary (Ramsar Site)	Near Guwahati, Assam	A permanent freshwater lake with rich biodiversity, acting as a critical wetland ecosystem for migratory and resident bird species.	Freshwater lake, marshes, and surrounding forests.	Various migratory and resident birds, including waterfowl and raptors.	—
Dihing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary	Assam-Arunachal border	Situated along the Dihing River, this sanctuary was recently upgraded to a National Park and features lush rainforest ecosystems.	Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.	Diverse wildlife including elephants, tigers, and various primates.	—
Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary	Karbi Anglong district, Assam	Known for its hot springs and waterfalls, Garampani is adjacent to Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary and supports diverse flora and fauna.	Forests, hot springs, and waterfalls.	Tigers, elephants, various bird species.	—
Lawkhowa Wildlife Sanctuary	Nagaon district, Assam	Located between Kaziranga and Orang National Parks, Lawkhowa supports a variety of species and is a key area for Indian rhinoceros and Asiatic water buffalo.	Grasslands and riverine forests.	Indian rhinoceros, Asiatic water buffalo, Bengal tiger, various deer species.	Indian rhinoceros.
Marat Longri Wildlife Sanctuary	Near Diphu, Karbi Anglong district, Assam	Part of the Dhansiri-Lungding Elephant Reserve, this sanctuary is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate and varied vegetation.	Tropical monsoon forests, grasslands, and plantations.	Elephants, various primate species, and smaller mammals.	—
Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary	Karbi Anglong Plateau, Assam	Adjacent to Garampani and part of a larger wilderness complex, Nambor is crucial for regional biodiversity.	Mixed forests and grasslands.	Elephants, tigers, various bird species.	—
Nambor-Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary	Golaghat district, Assam	Forms a part of the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong ecosystem, supporting a diverse array of flora and fauna.	Semi-evergreen forests and grasslands.	Elephants, tigers, various deer species.	—
Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary	Morigaon district, Assam	Known for its high population of Indian rhinoceros, Pabitora also serves as an Important Bird Area, supporting various avian species.	Grasslands and riverine forests.	Indian rhinoceros, various bird species.	Indian rhinoceros.
Pani-Dihing Wildlife Sanctuary	North-east of Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary	Comprising grassland and wetland habitats, Pani-Dihing is bordered by significant rivers and supports diverse wildlife.	Grasslands and wetlands.	Various migratory birds and resident species.	—
Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary	Sonitpur district, Assam	Located near Pakke Tiger Reserve and Nameri National Park, this sanctuary features a variety of ecosystems along the Himalayan foothills.	Foothill forests and grasslands.	Elephants, tigers, various bird species.	—
Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary	Near Guwahati, Assam	A small sanctuary known for isolated elephant populations and a range of other wildlife, located between Guwahati and Pobitora.	Mixed forests and grasslands.	Elephants, hoolock gibbons, various primates, and birds.	—
Barail Wildlife Sanctuary	Cachar district, Assam	Located in southern Assam, Barail Sanctuary encompasses the North Cachar and Barail Reserved Forests, with diverse habitats supporting various species.	Mixed forests and grasslands.	Various mammals and bird species.	—
East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary	East Karbi Anglong district, Assam	Known for its rich forest cover and diverse wildlife, East Karbi Anglong forms part of the larger Karbi Anglong Reserve Forest.	Semi-evergreen forests and tropical moist deciduous forests.	Various wildlife including elephants and tigers.	—

Protected Areas in Assam

Protected Area	Location	Overview	Habitat	Key Wildlife	Notable Birds
Dehing Patkai National Park	Upper Assam (Dibrugarh, Tinsukia)	Nestled in the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, named after the Dehing River and Patkai Hills. Known for its extensive lowland rainforests.	Tropical wet evergreen forests of the Assam Valley.	Chinese pangolin, flying fox, wild pig, sambar, barking deer, gaur, serow, Malayan giant squirrel, and seven wild cat species.	Oriental darter, lesser adjutant, greater spotted eagle, hornbills, hill myna.
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park	Dibrugarh and Tinsukia	Located between the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers, this park is known for its unique feral horses and diverse habitats. It became a Biosphere Reserve in 1997.	A mix of wet evergreen, semi-evergreen, deciduous, littoral, and swamp forests.	Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, clouded leopard, sloth bear, dhole, Gangetic dolphin, Asian elephant, wild boar, sambar, hog deer, barking deer.	—
Kaziranga National Park	Golaghat and Nagaon (Assam)	Established in 1904, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is crucial for the preservation of the one-horned rhinoceros, encompassing diverse habitats.	Alluvial grasslands, savanna woodlands, and tropical moist deciduous forests.	One-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, swamp deer.	Fishing cat, small Indian civets, sloth bear, Chinese pangolin, Indian pangolins.
Manas National Park	Himalayan foothills (Assam)	This UNESCO World Heritage Site is contiguous with Bhutan’s Royal Manas National Park, offering a wealth of biodiversity in riverine and forest ecosystems.	Semi-evergreen forests, moist and dry deciduous forests, savanna woodlands, grasslands.	Hispid hare, pygmy hog, wild water buffalo, reintroduced rhinoceros, elephants, sambar, Chinese pangolin, clouded leopards.	Bengal florican (largest population), great hornbills, pelicans, eagles, herons.
Nameri National Park	Sonitpur District (Assam)	Situated in the eastern Himalayas, Nameri is noted for its scenic rivers and proximity to Pakke Tiger Reserve, supporting rich biodiversity.	A variety of flora including Ajar, hollock, nahor trees, and orchids.	Tiger, leopard, sambar, dhole, gaur, clouded leopard, barking deer, marbled cat, Himalayan black bear, capped langur, Indian giant squirrel.	White-winged wood duck.
Orang National Park	Darrang and Sonitpur (Assam)	Located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, Orang’s floodplain ecosystem supports a diverse range of wildlife similar to Kaziranga.	Moist deciduous forests, swampy wetlands, and savannah grasslands.	Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hog, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, Bengal tiger, hog deer, Gangetic dolphin, Indian pangolin.	Rhesus macaque.
Raimona National Park	Bodoland Territorial Region	Positioned along the Himalayan foothills, this park is part of a transboundary conservation area with Bhutan, featuring rich and varied habitats.	Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests.	Asian elephant, Bengal tiger, clouded leopard, Indian gaur, wild water buffalo, chital, hornbill.	White-bellied heron, Oriental darter, lesser adjutant, Bengal florican, hill myna.

READ ABOUT

Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary

Source:

THE HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam:

It is located in Jorhat district and is named after the Hoolock gibbon, the only gibbon species found in India.
The sanctuary is situated at an altitude of 100–120 meters, with topography gently sloping from northwest to southeast.
The Bhogdoi River runs along the sanctuary’s border, creating a waterlogged region with semi-hydrophytic plants.

Which of the above-given statements is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is named after the Hoolock gibbon, which is the only gibbon species found in India.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The topography of the sanctuary slopes downward from southeast to northwest, not the other way around.

Statement 3 is correct: The Bhogdoi River runs along the sanctuary’s border, creating a waterlogged region with semi-hydrophytic plants.