Sanctuary tag for Golden Langur: opposed by Assamese

Controversy over "Sanctuary" tag for Golden Langur: why and how

Sanctuary tag for Golden Langur: opposed by Assamese

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• The story: Assam villagers are opposing the sanctuary tag for golden langur habitat Why? They wanted it to converted into a community forest.
• Key points: The Assam Forest Department had issued a preliminary notification for converting the 19.85 sq. km. patch of forest into the Kajoijana Bamuni Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kakoijana Reserve Forest is one of the better-known homes of the Golden Langur. The villagers demanded that the “conventional idea of wildlife sanctuary” be dropped and the reserve forest converted into a ‘community forest resource’. They pointed out that the conservation efforts of the locals had helped the authorities concerned to restore the forest canopy from less than 5% to more than 70%, and the Golden Langur population from less than 100 to more than 600 over almost three decades.
• Difference between Wildlife Sanctuary, Reserve Forest and Community Forest Reserves:

1. According to Section 2 (a) of the Forest Rights Act 2006, ‘Community Forest Resource’ is the customary common forest land within the traditional or customary boundaries of the village or seasonal use of landscape in the case of pastoral communities, including reserved forests, protected forests and protected areas such as sanctuaries and national parks to which the community had traditional access.
2. Wildlife Sanctuary is the place that is reserved exclusively for wildlife use, which includes animals, reptiles, insects, birds, etc. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 empowers the central and state governments to declare any area a wildlife sanctuary, national park or closed area.
3. Reserve forests are the most restricted forests and are constituted by the State Government on any forest land or wasteland which is the property of the Government. In reserved forests, local people are prohibited, unless specifically allowed by a Forest Officer in the course of the settlement.

• Golden Langurs: These beautiful mammals have a golden fur. It changes colours according to the seasons as well as geography (region they live in). They are also known as leaf monkeys. Their Scientific Name is ‘Trachypithecus geei’. The species is endemic to western Assam, India, and southern Bhutan. Their habitat is restricted to the region surrounded by four geographical landmarks: the foothills of Bhutan (North), Manas river (East), Sankosh river (West), and Brahmaputra River (South).

1. Their habitat is restricted by natural boundaries further increasing the threat of extinction. Their habitat in Assam has fragmented drastically especially after a thrust on rural electrification and massive deforestation. Obstructions such as wires, and gaps in the forest due to felling, have increased the threat of inbreeding among golden langurs.
2. The Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi entrusted the state zoo with the project for the conservation breeding of golden langur in Assam in 2011. The recorded estimation in Assam in 2009 was about 5,000.
3. The species have been listed as Endangered in IUCN List of Threatened Species, In Appendix I in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and in Schedule I in Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

• Summary: The extinction of any species is an irreversible loss of part of the biological richness of the Earth. Extinction can be a natural occurrence caused by an unpredictable catastrophe, chronic environmental stress, or ecological interactions such as competition, disease, or predation but there have been dramatic increases in extinction rates since humans have become Earth's dominant large animal and the cause of global environmental change. As a natural creature responsible towards environment and atleast for their own existence’s sack humans should take-care of environment.   
• EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) Without a focus on habitat conservation, the efforts to increase the population of endangered species may lead to human-animal conflict. Discuss. (2) Discuss the elements responsible for the large extinction of species being observed at present all over the globe.

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