Frontline forest staff from Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland completed a week-long training programme in Assam. The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of forest personnel for the conservation of the Western Hoolock Gibbon.
The training was held from September 19 to 25 at the Gibbon Conservation Centre of Aaranyak. The centre is located in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary at Mariani in Assam's Golaghat district. A total of 15 Forest Guards from the three northeastern states participated in the programme. This marked the first time frontline staff from these states came together for a dedicated training programme on Hoolock gibbon conservation.
The programme was organised by the biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak. It was conducted in collaboration with the Jorhat Forest Division of the Assam Forest Department, with support from the Habitats Trust and the IUCN Primate Specialists Group. The training sought to build a stronger field-level foundation for the long-term conservation of the Western Hoolock Gibbon and its fragmented habitat by improving knowledge and field skills.
Trainees participated in both classroom sessions and hands-on field exercises. The sessions covered primate conservation, gibbon census and population estimation, field data collection, habitat restoration, rescue and rehabilitation, GPS use, and wildlife laws. Participants also undertook field observations across five tracks over five days to gain practical experience in conservation techniques.
