Not two, only one species of hoolock gibbon in India: study

Not two, only one species of hoolock gibbon in India: study

Not two, only one species of hoolock gibbon in India: study

Sahana

Fourteen years after reports noting that India has two separate species of the gibbon – the hoolock gibbon and the eastern hoolock gibbon – a latest genetic analysis has now proved that there is only one species of ape in India.

Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is the only gibbon (apes in the family Hylobatidae) found in India, according to the analysis. Earlier, northeastern India was said to be home to two species: eastern (Hoolock leuconedys) and western hoolock (Hoolock hoolock) gibbons. A study led by Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad scientists states that there is no separate species of eastern hoolock gibbon in northeast India, debunking earlier research that had suggested a separate species (the assumed eastern hoolock gibbon) based on coat colour.

The CCMB research team was led by G. Umapathy; the other members of the team were Mihir Trivedi, Shivakumara Manu, Sanjaay Balakrishnan, Jihosuo Biswas, and N. V. K. Asharaf.

“These two populations are kept separately in the zoos and not allowed to breed, now they can be allowed to breed as they belong to single species. Further, a slight coat colour change in any species does not make a separate species. One has to examine genetic characteristics before describing a species,” G. Umapathy, Group Leader, Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, told Mongabay-India.

“We estimate that gibbon divergence from a common ancestor occurred 8.38 million years ago and that the split between H. hoolock and H. leuconedys occurred 1.49 million years ago,” the authors said.

Hoolock gibbon was described first in 1834, in the erstwhile kingdom of Assam by American naturalist R. Harlan. Previously eastern and western hoolocks were considered as sub-species but were later classified as species in 2005. The first distribution record of eastern hoolock gibbons in India was published in 2006.

Western hoolock gibbon is distributed all over northeast India, south and east of Brahmaputra river; along with Bangladesh and Myanmar. The eastern hoolock gibbon (termed as Mishmi hills hoolock in the paper) is distributed between Nao-Dehing, Lohit and Dibang rivers in Arunachal Pradesh. IUCN states that the presence of H. leuconedys in India is uncertain. In 2013, primatologist Anwaruddin Choudhury proposed H. hoolock mishmiensis, a sub-species of western hoolock gibbon found in the Mishmi hills.

Study co-author Jihosuo Biswas said the genetic analysis was necessary to clear the confusion between two physically different hoolock gibbon populations. The scientists collected blood, tissue, and faecal samples from various populations of H. hoolock and the Mishmi Hills gibbons in the wild, zoos, and rescue centers in northeast India. The study could not find any genetic differences between H. hoolock and the assumed eastern hoolock gibbon population in the region between the Lohit and Dibang rivers in northeast India.

The study suggests that the Mishmi hills hoolock is not a subspecies of H. hoolock but a population that was recently separated from the main H. hoolock population by the Barak river. The population of gibbons in Southern Assam, Mizoram and Bangladesh constitutes a “meta-population”. Metapopulations are populations of subpopulations within some defined area, in which dispersal from one local population (subpopulation) to at least some other habitat patches is possible.

“Our findings will help establish the species identity of the gibbons and can be used to create an effective gibbon conservation breeding program that will be undertaken by many Indian zoos and also aid translocation programmes,” Biswas of Primate Research Centre Northeast India, Guwahati told Mongabay-India.

Known for their vigorous vocal displays, gibbons are unique small apes, with 20 species, all of them endemic to south and southeast Asia. Gibbons play an important role in seed dispersal, which contributes to maintaining the health of the forests they call home, and benefit the communities that also use forest resources, states the International Union for Conservation of Nature, adding that globally, gibbons are one of the most threatened families of primates.

Gibbons are pair-living, usually with a monogamous mating system, and the adult male and female of a group sing prolonged duets. Hoolock gibbon adults exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism in pelage colouration, the males are black overall and the female becomes varying shades of brown and fawn at maturity, the study states. Both H. hoolock and H. leuconedys infants are born with a pale brown natal coat (infants are nearly white) similar in colouration to that of adult females. Infants of both sexes turn black.

Scientists say the identification of species and their distributions is crucial for successful conservation and understanding speciation. Phylogenetics plays an important role in recognising species and understanding their relationships with other taxa. Although new species have been declared based on distribution and morphology, phylogenetic studies are an integral part of describing and delineating a species through integrative taxonomy. In addition to assisting in situ conservation efforts by assessing the phylogenetic diversity of a taxon, phylogenetics is also useful for conservation breeding and captive management strategies and directly affects decisions regarding which individuals to breed, to prevent hybridisation and to maintain genetic diversity.

Primatologist Dilip Chetry who is not associated with the study said there is scope for more research in this direction by taking the samples from higher altitudes from Mishmi hills as well as from plain areas of Sadiya, Wakro, Kamlang and other areas from the north bank of Noadehing river.

Divya Vasudev, a senior scientist with Conservation Initiatives who is not associated with the study said, “The paper is critical for our understanding of the evolution, ecology and conservation status of both the eastern and western hoolock gibbon. We know now that there are populations of the western hoolock gibbon – a highly endangered species – and habitat for the species in Arunachal as well.” Divya has worked in Garo Hills in Meghalaya on gibbons.

“This also emphasises how important community-based conservation is for the western hoolock gibbon. The threats to the species remain though, and this understanding will only support on-ground conservation efforts for gibbons” she added.

Read more: Communities join hands to keep alive the hoolock gibbon’s song

Day 3 - The moths on lace - at Sally Lake

 Oct 3rd 2022

After the avian-dry morning at Jia grasslands, the consensus was for tea at Sally Lake again!

Sally Lake had something besides the tea, we discovered.  The dining room curtains were full of resting moths.

Here are the pictures which I shall identify by and by on iNat.

The LesserAtlas Moth?

This one at Yatri Nivas

Excited by this, Yuvan successfully pleased for a night moth session at Sally Lake and we went back later that night, armed with the bulb, put outside the wall on the side of the building.

After wandering around for a while, we returned to find more cicadas than moths.

As we stood and chatted, Vijay and Yuvan found the local manager very interested and intrigued with what was happening, and wondered why we were interested in these little "pests" that fall into the food and are a general nuisance.  At the end of the chat, he was quite convinced and decided he wouldn't treat them as pests and attempt not to kill them. Mission accomplished wouldn't you say?

Visiting the RIWATCH museum at Roing - Day 5

5th October 2022

RIWATCH - Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions Cultures and Heritage - is a not for profit, community-based cultural organisation trying to empower local ethnic communities and involve them in sustainable development.

One rainy evening, several of us (following the earlier visit of Yuvan) headed to this museum, around closing time, located in the village of Khinjili, 10 kms from Roing.  It was a charming little place, opened in 2009, with artefacts from the community.

To me, it felt a bit like Dakshinchitra, preserving some not-so-old but vanishing cultural artefacts and ways of living of the local communities. 

The following is text that was up on the walls of the museum - converted to text by the scan function on the 'phone. 

“ Bhismak Nagar
A Major Archaeological Site
Archaelogical artifacts throw interesting insights into our past, life style of our ancestors and traditions. It helps us to peep into their living times and the historical, social, political and cultural conditions of the people. The descriptions & motifs found on artifacts have often helped historians to make valuable discoveries about the lives of societies. They also link us to various aspects of oral history, myths and descriptions in tolklores that have come down to us from generations. 

Using carbon dating techniques, scientists are today in a position to determine the age of an artefact and thus help fix the timeline of events and communities. These are from the fort of the Chutia kings and his people who lived during 8' to 10' century at Bhismaknagar and near the river Kundil, between Roing & Tezu. These were obtained during excavations done in 1950 to 80s.


The household items, displayed belong to Amunad tribes. They highlight the wide use of bamboo plant-products and expertise by the communities, to make utensils and household articles. The versatility of bamboo, cane and herbal gums is beautifully visible in the 'Yakhana bamboo basket made waterproof for holding rice ber Mud pots, even when used are cleverly fitted into bamboo structures, to prevent breakage. The use of metal utensils is of a later times, i.e, early decades of 20th century indicating increasing acceptance of household items from the plains of Assam. It also marks the shift in trade-link from Tibetan markets to those of British Indian market: like Sadiya in Eastern Arunachal and Chaiduar in Kameng of artistic and aesthetic sense of the people, even while using bamboo to make artefacts. The butter-tea vessel by Monpas, a community living in high mountains, is not found among any other tribes living across foothills and indicate their instristic skill and need based approach.

"ORNAMENTS
In any society, the ornaments reflect the artisitic advancement attained by its members. eg., the Wancho ornaments are marked by crisp designs with brilliant red and black beads, while blue beads occur prominently in Idu Mishmi and Apatani necklaces. The embellishments and sophistication reflected in the ornaments also enable us to understand the social and trade links developed by that society with the world outside, a valuable clue in historical research. (eg., the presence of a variety of rare stones in
Arunachali ornaments could be traced to their procurement from Tibet during the past centuries.) Unlike in the plains, gold is wholly absent, with silver appearing only from the early decades of 20th century as threading wire and medallions. Metal coins are a prominent item in Digaru & Miju Mishmi necklaces. At an individual level, an onament its features and size, could indicate the rank of a wearer, or his/her status in the society. In the pre-independent days, bracelets and ear rings were huge and heavy, but over the decades, they have shrunk to a shape, currently seen across India.  The once common large colourful waist bands too have vanished from daily use, with the arrival of modern education and changes in life style.”

The mural in the outer space

What lovely baskets!  Sadly, I did not find anything like this in the markets. 

Those are teeth of tiger and wild board

It was Ayudha Pooja/Durga Pooja day

"HEADGEAR
Originally evolved as a cover for head against sun and cold, the headgear for many communities also served as an important shield against enemy attack (Idu Mishmi Hat). This resulted in the discovery and use of a variety of very durable bamboo, cane, plant varieties and herbal dyes, and in turn their conservation by each community. 

These hats also demonstrate different seasoning techniques of these plant parts, a traditional knowledge, which is under threat of vanishing from the people's memories today. Over centuries, the headgears have emerged into unique entities, with characteristic artistic designs distinct for each tribe. The head gears foundoften decorated with colorful beads (Wagchoos and Notes) and wild boar teeth."

Before leaving the place, we chatted with girls from various ethnic tribes of the region - Mishmi, Add, Nishi and Apatani, who were studying there.  

Gapi and I each bought one of these baskets, which came safely back, and I loved the weave of it, and in a few minutes with borrowed material, created this (what I thought) was a joyful exuberance of wild countryside.

 On my return to Chennai, I mulled over what this museum meant, what the loss of these cultures meant. Left to themselves, communities should be allowed to move on, choose what to keep and what to leave behind isn't it? 

Breakfast at Mayudia Pass


I was all excited that we were going to Mayudia Pass. The views would be gorgeous, I imagined, and Probin assured us that the birding would be exciting.

It was a 4 am departure from the camp and we were to assemble at the 'new petrol bunk' spot.

The day was cloudy and a
Slight drizzle greeted us when we awoke. The mountains were under
Cloud cover. The sparrows on the Yatri Nivas roof were not even awake. Our first departure before dawn!

We started our ascent in darkness and soon I was dropping off. Shamim our driver did not have that luxury. Rain steadily increased as we ascended. Past a completely shut Tiwarigaon. Visibility reduced and we slowed to a crawl.

We reached and crossed the board announcing our arrival and it was pouring. Now what? 😀 we sat huddled in our cars while the birds huddled out of sight. In fact there was no sight of anything.

Out of the mist, the toilet emerged magically and soon we were all darting in and out. Amazingly clean and well ventilated and at the same time non leak proof.

And then the tea shop emerged and 21 MNS members were quickly crowded in, dripping rain ponchos and all. Much hilarity and leg pulling. A black hen and a colourful cock clucked disapprovingly at this intrusion on their space.

The conversation about breakfast of course popped up and then Vijay says it's in Dhananjay's car. Where is dhananjay, he asks. And then remembers the members of the missing car - ay where is Elu and Suresh and doc? Pritam goes looking outside bracing the rain - breakfast is important you see - to see the car go by and everyone waving and smiling at him. Breakfast gone with the wind.

Then the penny dropped for the breakfast car occupants. Oh these others are somewhere dry maybe we should check. And then they also tripped in to the already crowded room. Soon we were all breathing carbon dioxide along with plastic fumes. Like death eaters we had sucked out all the oxygen.

Somehow in a Houdini act breakfast was laid out in this crowded room and even more magically the members got into a-line in this space! Poha egg fried rice and kesari filled our stomachs and cheered us up.

Vijay was optimistic that the rain would stop and we should wait for a bit. I wandered into the warm kitchen, where the locals told us to leave sooner than later to avoid the risk of landslides. Maybe they wanted to be rid of us but we left with alacrity.

The drive back was a bit nervy. Small rocks on the road and water gushing down any possible slope. At one point we had to drive through a 'waterfall'.

The first picture is a waterfall we saw the previous day and the last one is the same one after the rains. Chekopani bridge.

The drizzle continued all day. We wandered into town, bought bamboo baskets and then went for lunch.

Drive for breakfast to myodia. 😀

Speed dialling and identity confusions

When 25 MNS members travel together there is bound to be some hilarity and nonsense.

It is raining fish and frogs right now and it is a good time to put some of these stories down as I sit on the verandah of the Camp watching the rain pelt down on the orange orchard below. The river below is completely covered with mist and cloud.

A group are playing the Wilderness game indoors and some Male Elders are discussing politics in the verandah. Arjun had managed the feat of sleeping in an upright chair.

The incident of the Speed Dial buddies

When we went into the CCA only Jio was functioning and if you remember our car was 'lost' and we connected to the others from Arjun's phone to Pritam's Jio number. This sets the context to the story as they now had each other on speed dial more or less.

After the walk, in usual MNS fashion the 25 were spread across a km and progressing at snails pace. The group had to be got together! Arjun called Pritam to talk him that boss we need to hurry up, Jibi Palu says it will get very hot and we have to return. Pritam agreed and at the same time wondered what was going on as he thought Jibi ji was next to him. Hmm maybe Palu is a clan name and so there are several around. The ladies around were smirking making the two highly suspicious. They turned and discovered that they were within 10 steps of each other. Loud laughter chased away any of the remaining birds and sheepish looks of the two gents was quite priceless I am told. So in an area with no or minimal signal they managed this feat.

Doc Ravi and his identity crisis

Now doc has a confusion between Arjun and Ramesh. He nattered away in Tamil leaving Arjun bemused. Next, he looked at Gapi and asked her courteously who her husband was while Arjun stood next to her. I guess he once again thought Arjun was Ramesh!

Adding to the confusions was Latha who kept calling Suresh Ravi much to the former's annoyance.

Thankfully, Sheila was fixed in Doc's memory as his Tirunelveli 'cousin' and I (thanks to Raja's mirch masala) am the fast bowler. So no confusions there.

Hollong and hoolocks

Dipterocarpus retusus, commonly known as hollong. State tree of Assam. Favoured by the Hoolocks. These lovely specimens were in the farms adjoining the Jia grasslands. 

Yuvan mentioned another name Tweminalia myriocarpa. I need to cross check on this. 

Probin shared many interesting aspects of these primates with us. Revered by the Assamese, he told us that if a gibbon dies in Assam, funeral rites are performed for the gibbon. 

They love to eat the leaves of the hoolong which collects dew water They feed only in the mornings, before 9, after which they rest and do not feed!  The male gibbon allows the female to feed first and will eat only after she is done. 

https://roundglasssustain.com/species/hoolock-gibbons-canopy-hollongapar

Jia grasslands and the missing parrotbills

I woke up to find that Sekar was not very well and seemed to be feverish.  He said he would not come

In the morning. It was not a good start, but yes better he takes it easy  And so Probin came in our car as we had one spare 'seat'.

Our visit to Jia grasslands was interesting indeed. Situated in the village of Jia, next to Roing, the major tribe here is the Adi. 

We turned off the main highway and we're on a narrow road with rice fields on both sides.  Pacchai pacchai, green green! 😄 drongos in the wire. Interesting lack of any kind of egret in the fields. Hmmm. 

We rumble along this straight road and arrive at a motorable dead end, from where we were to walk. 

As we walked through a narrow path, we arrived at the grasslands!  Probin our guide, asked for silence - very challenging for the large group we were but we did manage it. 

The grasslands were quiet. A Stonechat zipped by and settled on the reeds at a distance. We moved in single file, with the grass taller than us, and in bloom, the flower stalks swaying in the breeze. A beautiful sight!  we arrived at a little clearing and waited. 

As we waited, Probin gave us an understanding of the grasses. The main one is  Khans grasses also called kahua.  flower and fruit parrotbill this is eaten by the parrotbill. Fruit name is kaguri.  Saccharum spontaneum (wild sugarcane,) 

Nol is elephant grass and Madhuri (Typha) is bulrush. The cotton of the typha is used by parrotbills for nesting. Used as nesting by all birds 

I earned that Black throated Parrotbill needs all 3. They feed o the Khans, make nests inthe Typha, using the flower of the Madhuri as nesting material. 

This whole habitat of about 5 sq kms supports 3-4 black throated parrot bills!!  These birds mate for life, are poor breeders and seem to be under stress from habitat loss. With such a low population, it was no surprise that we didn't see or hear them. We insisted on no playback to attar t these already stressed birds. 

Marsh babbler - these we heard. very shy - laju ki dhap in Assamese.  Walks on the bunds aka dhap. 

We tramped back out to the cars, saw spiders, dragonflies and butterflies along the way. 

Checked in on Sekar who seemed to be doing ok with one paracetamol inside. 

As we headed back, Probin pointed out the long houses of the Adi tribe, with their sloping roofs and also the side prayer room. 

More soon.