Primates fall prey to poachers

Guwahati, May 12 (UNI) After rampant rhino poaching in the Kaziranga National Park, primates are now falling prey to poachers in Asom.

The miscreants shot dead and carried away a capped langoor from the Gibbon Wildlife Sancturay in Jorhat district, besides injuring another.

Capped langoor has been included in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.

It was suspected that the miscreants were from Nagaland.

Forest officials said the miscreants fired at a group of primates in the outskirts of the sanctuary on May 5.

A capped languor, which was killed, was taken away, while another injured was rescued, the forest officials said.

A case has been lodged with the police by the forest department.

Reckoned to be one of the pristine habitats of the state, the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is an abode of seven different species of primates. It is also a place of definite sighting of the only ape in India, the Hollock Gibbon.

There are around 200 primates in this sanctuary.

However, this was not the first instance of primate killing in this sanctuary. ''Seven primates were shot dead a few year back.

Lack of security arrangements have abetted the poachers,'' said Dilip Chetry of Aaranayak, an NGO working for the conservation of wildlife.

Mr Chetry also said the forest department should enhance the security measures around the sanctuary.

UNI