On a foggy winter morning in Barekuri, Assam, farmer Mohit Chutia sits outside his home, cradling his grandson and singing about the hoolock gibbons—the only ape species native to India. Above him, these endangered gibbons gracefully swing from branch to branch, while Chutia’s family looks on in awe. This scene embodies the enduring coexistence between the gibbons and the village’s residents, a relationship that has flourished for generations.
“They are like my own children,” Chutia shares, revealing the depth of his connection to the gibbons, which has earned him the nickname “bandar” or monkey among his neighbors.
The hoolock gibbon, found only in select regions worldwide, once had an estimated population of around 12,000 in India. However, experts revised that figure in 2017 to between 5,000 and 10,000. In Barekuri, merely about 19 gibbons remain, with only four females, putting this small group’s survival in jeopardy. While villagers experience a harmonious relationship with these primates, the threats of pollution, deforestation, and industrial expansion loom in the background.
A new documentary, “Guardians of the Gibbons,” explores how Chutia’s community has fostered an exceptional bond with their arboreal neighbors. On the way to Chutia’s home, the landscape shifts from expansive tea estates to dense forest as you enter Barekuri. Once filled with thick foliage, the area has faced fragmentation due to deforestation, mining activities, and agricultural expansion, making it difficult for gibbons to traverse their habitat.
“For the gibbons, who are almost entirely tree-dwelling, this has cut them off from parts of the forest, limiting their access to the fruits they rely on,” explains Ragini Nath, the documentary’s co-director.
Inside his brick and bamboo house, Chutia speaks about his favorite gibbon, Twik, who narrowly escaped electrocution from a low-hanging power line. As he calls out, Twik appears, with her mother watching closely. It’s still uncertain whether Twik is female, as it takes several years for juvenile gibbons to develop the distinctive golden-brown fur that signifies a female. If she is female, her potential to bear offspring could be crucial for the survival of this dwindling population.
While the tree canopy looks lush, Chutia notes a concerning lack of fruit trees. “Years ago, I saw them eating leaves, and I realized they weren’t getting enough fruit. If they had plenty to eat, they wouldn’t have taken the bananas I offered,” he reflects.
However, the relationship between humans and gibbons is fraught with challenges. As you drive through the forest, oil and gas rigs emerge, signaling the booming extraction industry in the region. Assam is a significant contributor to India’s oil production, accounting for 14% of the country’s crude output and 10% of fossil gas.
Chutia vividly recalls the gas blowout in 2020 that ignited a months-long fire, leading to the loss of three lives and around 26,000 animals, including two gibbons. “It felt like we were breathing oil,” he recalls grimly.
Ishika Ramakrishna, a researcher from Bengaluru studying gibbons for her doctorate, emphasizes that it’s not just trees being cut down; roads are also widened for heavy vehicles, disrupting the gibbons’ habitat. “Any disruption to the canopy, even slight, can significantly impact their movement and survival,” she notes.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Barekuri’s harmonious existence with its hoolock gibbon population during a radio broadcast. However, the Assam state government, currently led by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, is considering a new oil and gas exploration project in the nearby Hollongapar gibbon sanctuary.
To protect the remaining gibbons, Ramakrishna advocates for the cessation of mining activities around Barekuri, the planting of trees to restore their habitat, and the construction of “canopy bridges” to mitigate gaps in the forest cover. Currently, the gibbons either cannot navigate wide open areas to find new forest sections or risk severe injury using power lines.
“What we’re aiming to do is work with the villagers to design the best bamboo bridges that could help reconnect the canopy and give the gibbons access to the fruits essential for their survival,” Ramakrishna explains.
“Guardians of the Gibbons,” a film by Ragini Nath and Chinmoy Sonowal, sheds light on this crucial relationship and the ongoing efforts to ensure a future for both the villagers and their unique primate neighbors.
