Guwahati, Oct 24: The arrival of a newborn hoolock gibbon in Barekuri earlier this month became the highlight of International Gibbon Day 2026 celebrations, with conservationists and local residents coming together to promote the protection of the endangered primates and their habitat.
A day-long programme was organised by Primate Research Centre North East in collaboration with the Barekuri Eco Development Committee, Dibru Saikhowa Conservation Society and Barekuri Jatiya Vidyalaya in Tinsukia. The event featured a rally, an art competition, lectures, audiovisual presentations and other activities aimed at raising awareness about hoolock gibbons.
Barekuri, a village in Tinsukia district, is famous for its close relationship with the eastern hoolock gibbon, India’s only ape and one of the most threatened primates in the Northeast.
Unlike many places where gibbons are found mainly in protected forests, Barekuri is known for gibbons living in and around village groves, trees and homesteads, alongside people. The village has become an important example of how local communities can coexist with wildlife.
The programme began with a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate the birth of the young gibbon, which organisers said symbolised hope for the species and the importance of safeguarding its natural habitat.
The celebration also sought to engage local communities and students in conservation efforts, highlighting the role of public awareness and collective action in ensuring the survival of hoolock gibbons in the wild.
The organisers stressed the importance of protecting the primates and their habitats so that future generations can continue to witness them in their natural surroundings.
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