Dello, March 1, 2014: The Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department and the International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India team have captured and translocated to safety, seventh of the stranded gibbon families in Dello village to Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary.

This is one of the 20 stranded families living in the Dello village. With no contiguous forests, the gibbons are forced to descend on to the ground for movement, risking their lives as they are not very agile on land.

Six families have already been moved earlier with the last being carried out in November 2013. The translocated family comprised three individuals – an adult male, an adult female and a juvenile male.

“Capture and translocation are the only hope for the long term welfare of these gibbons. They now have the chance to live out their lives in a suitable habitat and to contribute to the conservation of the species.”- said Ian Robinson, Vice President, Program & International Operations of IFAW.

According to Keijum Rina, the Divisional Forest Officer of Mehao Wildlife Division (MWD), “Such efforts by IFAW-WTI go a long way in strengthening the conservation efforts to save the eastern hoolock gibbon in Arunachal Pradesh.”

Sunil Kyarong, Regional Head of IFAW-WTI said, “The gibbons are totally isolated in these fragmented patches. The only option left for long term conservation plan for these gibbons are capture and release in a suitable habitat.”

“The family was found in Enzeeno village in an area with absolutely no continuity of canopy,” added Dr Kuladeep Roy, Project Lead for IFAW-WTI’s Dibang Valley Conservation Project.

The eastern hoolock gibbons were captured from the village on 26th February 2014 and released in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary on 27th February 2014. The IFAW-WTI team is continuing post release monitoring these days.

“I personally support such exercises and feel that they need to be continued to secure viable habitats and home ranges for these gibbons,” said Ipra Mekola, Advisor for the Project.

Dr Nupur Buragohain, IFAW-WTI veterinarian who was a part of the team said that the gibbons were healthy and were micro-chipped for future identification.

The team also included Chumili Mithi, a member of the local Idu Mishmi community, who is passionate about their conservation.