A male Western Hoolock Gibbon at the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam’s Jorhat district has reportedly crossed a specially designed canopy bridge installed above a railway line passing through the sanctuary.
According to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), this is the first documented instance anywhere in the world of a gibbon using a canopy crossing constructed over a railway line.
The successful crossing is being seen as a major positive development for conservation efforts aimed at protecting the endangered ape species, which depends heavily on uninterrupted forest canopy for movement and survival.
The canopy bridges were installed during February and March 2026 to minimise the ecological impact of electrification work on the single-track Lumding–Dibrugarh railway line that cuts through the sanctuary.
What are Canopy Bridges?
Canopy bridges are elevated structures connecting tree tops, enabling arboreal animals to move safely across fragmented habitats without descending to the ground. These structures help reduce habitat fragmentation and lower the risk of wildlife mortality caused by roads and railway lines.
About the Western Hoolock Gibbon
The Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is India’s only ape species and belongs to the family Hylobatidae, which includes the lesser apes or gibbons.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I protection
Distribution: The species is found mainly in the forests of Northeast India, especially in:
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Meghalaya
- Nagaland
Small populations are also found in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Key Features
- Strictly arboreal species living entirely on trees
- Depends on continuous forest canopy for movement
- Highly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation
- Known for brachiation, a swinging mode of movement through trees.
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