Dhubri, February 25
A heartbreaking video of a baby golden langur trying to wake up its mother killed by a speeding vehicle in western Assam has gone viral on social media, sparking an outcry among animal lovers and conservationists. The golden langur is an endangered primate found only in a small area in western Assam and the foothills of neighbouring Bhutan.
According to officials, the mother and child had come down from a tree in search of food when the former was hit by a speeding vehicle in the Kakoijana area of Bongaigaon district on Friday. In the viral video, the infant can be seen crying and trying to wake up its dead mother, refusing to leave her side for nearly an hour until locals rescued the baby.
This is the second incident of a golden langur being run over by a speeding vehicle in the region in the past three days. An adult male was killed in a similar fashion in Nayekgaon area in Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.
Experts have pointed out that the four-laning of a national highway passing through the area has adversely affected the continuity of natural canopy bridges, resulting in primates crossing the road in search of food. Many trees were cut down for the highway construction.
Primate Research Centre NE, a non-governmental organisation, has urged the administration to construct artificial canopy bridges in vulnerable areas. NGO founder Jihosuo Biswas said they had received permission to construct a few such artificial canopy bridges in Nayekgaon area of Kokrajhar.
The incident has evoked an emotional outcry among many animal lovers in the state as they have called for strict measures to protect the endangered species. Wildlife photographer Sanjib Gohain Boruah said, "Authorities should take adequate measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Frequent felling of trees has forced animals to come out of their habitat in search of food. Alternative arrangements should be made to ensure that animals are not exposed to threats to their lives when development works are undertaken."
As this tragic incident highlights, the protection of endangered species is crucial, and the government should take immediate steps to ensure the safety of wildlife in the region. Animal conservationists and environmentalists have urged the authorities to take strict measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Inputs from PTI