Assam: Transmission lines threaten endangered Golden Langur habitat

Guwahati: Bhairab Reserve, a proposed reserve forest in Bongaigaon district of Assam under the Aie Valley Forest Division of the Assam Forest Department has a forest cover of 36.04 square km and is an ideal habitat for the Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei), which is present in sizeable numbers (+150) in the forest.

This endangered, endemic primate species, is threatened now by increasing encroachment, habitat degradation, fragmentation and isolation throughout its range in Assam.

In an unwarranted development, two high-voltage double circuit transmission tower lines are being set up in the Bhairab Reserve Forest under the Nangalbibra-Bongaigaon ISTS power transmission project.