Seven Gee’s golden langur released in Assam national park

Seven endangered Gee’s golden langurs rescued from wildlife traffickers were released into Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park on 25 June 2026.

About Gee’s golden langur 

Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) is an endangered primate endemic to north-western Assam and southern Bhutan.

The species was discovered by Edward Pritchard Gee in 1953 and was scientifically described by H. Khajuria in 1956.

It derives its name from the striking golden-orange colour of its fur.

Golden langurs belong to the Colobinae subfamily of Old World monkeys, which are primarily leaf-eating (folivorous) primates.

They possess a ruminant-like multi-chambered stomach that enables efficient digestion of fibrous leaves.

Golden langurs are sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and more robust than females.

They are diurnal and arboreal, spending most of their lives in trees and descending to the ground only occasionally to drink water, lick mineral-rich soil, or cross large canopy gaps.

Their distribution is restricted to a small forest belt in western Assam and adjoining forests of southern Bhutan, making them highly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation.

The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and receives the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The major threats to the species include habitat loss, forest fragmentation, illegal wildlife trafficking, and human encroachment.

Source: TH & CZA

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