The Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway has undertaken a smart initiative to protect wildlife, particularly the rare and endangered Hoolock Gibbons, by installing canopy bridges to facilitate the movement of these apes across railway tracks in Assam.
The railway track passing through the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Jorhat district is home to the highly arboreal Hoolock Gibbons.
To prevent mishaps and enable safe crossing, NF Railway, in collaboration with the Assam State Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India, decided to install canopy bridges at several identified points within the sanctuary.
The Assam State Forest Department has provided designs and estimates for these canopy bridges, prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India with input from NF Railway.
The necessary funds for the installation were deposited by NF Railway in February 2024.
These bridges will facilitate the easy movement of arboreal species from one part of the sanctuary to another, ensuring their safety.
The canopy bridges will be installed with secure ends and knots, using high-grade fastening materials and techniques.
As an additional safety measure, nets will be placed below the main twin-rope bridges to catch any animals that might accidentally fall.
Over time, natural elements like lianas and creepers will be guided along the rope bridges, creating a semi-natural environment that integrates with the existing forest canopy.
Hoolock Gibbons, the smallest and fastest of all apes, are native to the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, including the northeastern states of India such as Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland.
These tailless apes are divided into two subspecies: the Western Hoolock Gibbon and the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon.
The Western Hoolock Gibbon, an endangered species, has seen its population decline by over 90% in the past 40 years due to habitat loss and hunting.
Currently, an estimated 3,000 Western Hoolock Gibbons remain in the wild, with Assam hosting more than 70% of India’s population of this species.
This effort is part of the Indian Railways’ broader policy to safeguard wildlife species, especially those inhabiting forest areas and sanctuaries intersected by railway lines.
Similar steps are being taken at other locations where railway lines intersect with critical wildlife habitats.
NF Railway, in consultation with respective state forest departments, continues to implement measures to safeguard the flora and fauna across the Terai and northeastern region of India and other endangered species from extinction.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is also noted as the first among other railway divisions in India to use Artificial Intelligence to monitor and protect wild elephants and other wild animals from train collisions, a frequent issue in Assam.
Utilising an AI-based software integrated with optical fibre cable (OFC), the NFR employs an Intrusion Detection System (IDS).
This system issues alerts whenever suspicious movement is detected, effectively preventing accidents and enhancing wildlife safety.
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