FINALIST | Nature Infocus
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“Oh, oh, I see it!” I screamed with joy. “Shhh, chillane se bhag jayega! (Don’t shout, they will run away!)” I got rebuked. “Poora insaan ki tarah hai (They look just like human beings),” I lowered my voice. “Ji saab, kehte hai insan inse-hi aaya hai (Yes sir, it is said that human beings have evolved from them),” he whispered back.

When I decided to pack my bags to visit a remote village in Assam’s Tinsukia district in search of the only ape species found in the Indian subcontinent, I was not expecting to witness such a strong bond between villagers and their unibrowed primate counterparts. Hoolock Gibbons are shy animals, and the chances of spotting them in the wild are considered extremely rare. But here in Barekuri, Western Hoolock Gibbons have inhabited and co-existed with humans for centuries. When I visited, I was surprised to see that the gibbons were comfortable enough to drop down from the canopy and accept tokens from the villagers, such as a banana.

Though Tinsukia is a well-known industrial town in Assam, not many people have heard of Barekuri village. Just 19km to the east of Tinsukia, the village is populated by tea estate workers and industrial labourers. The village sees heavy rainfall throughout the year, and in mid-September, though the monsoon had just wrapped up, the roads were still muddy and slippery. But thanks to the kindness of the people of Barekuri, I made it safely to my destination.

For the first few days, there was not a single gibbon in sight. But soon my luck turned, and I was able to follow a family of Western Hoolock Gibbons and document their interactions with the villagers.

Hoolock Gibbons
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The Hoolock Gibbon is strictly arboreal, which means it spends most of its life up in the trees, swinging along high canopies without setting foot on the forest floor for months. Adult gibbons exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism in their pelage colouration—males are black overall, and females are shades of brown and fawn.
Male Hoolock Gibbon
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Hoolock Gibbons usually live in monogamous pairs. They are active for 8-10 hours a day, starting at dawn or early morning. You can hear Hoolock Gibbon pairs calling in the morning before they leave their sleeping sites on most days and sometimes in the afternoon before they retire. This male gibbon was swinging about and constantly calling at the top of its voice, possibly announcing its territory to rival males.
Male Hoolock Gibbon
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Hoolock Gibbons survive on insects and leaves, and are particularly fond of bananas. Unfortunately, there are not many banana plants in the village, which means when they find one, they feast on them even after their tummies are full.
Female Hoolock Gibbon with a baby
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I learned from the villagers that Hoolock Gibbons love to look at themselves in the mirror. Most of the houses in the village have mirrors in their backyards for this reason. I was quite surprised to find this mother and baby gibbon, unperturbed by my presence, nonchalantly gazing at the mirror. Whereas the father moved away, probably spooked by the unfamiliar presence. But the moment I took out my camera to click the mother and baby, he quickly climbed down in a bid to protect his family.
Hoolock Gibbon
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Oh yes, gibbons have a strong memory. They will never go back to the house of a villager who previously drove them away. “They'll rather die of starvation than visit again,” said an elderly man. Forgive and forget is seemingly not a part of their rulebook.
Female Hoolock Gibbon with a young one
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The rapid drop in the number of gibbons is still a concern. Electrocution and speeding vehicles are the primary reasons for premature deaths in the village. But the villagers are now aware of the value of these curious apes, how their very existence in Barekuri can bring happiness and prosperity in many ways. They hope to secure government help soon to promote wildlife tourism in the village.