A family of endangered Hoolock gibbons stranded atop a tall tree for several days was successfully rescued after an intense and technically demanding four-day operation in Horu Pahar village of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district, officials confirmed. The rescued group—an adult male, an adult female, and a juvenile—has been safely released into the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, where they are now undergoing close post-release monitoring.
“We spotted all three individuals near the release site on Friday morning, and they appear to be stable,” said Mito Rumi, Divisional Forest Officer of the sanctuary. Isolated on a 45-metre Ficus tree. The gibbons had been trapped on a single 45-metre ficus tree after agricultural activities fragmented the contiguous forest canopy.
With no canopy linkage left, the arboreal apes risked being forced to descend to the ground—a situation extremely hazardous for the species.
“Their habitat had shrunk to just one tree. Without canopy connectivity, they were exposed to serious threats,” an official explained. Underweight and Nutritionally Stressed A veterinary assessment by experts from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) revealed that all three animals were underweight and nutritionally stressed. “The family had been isolated for a long time. Without timely intervention, their survival chances would have diminished sharply,” said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, who led the veterinary team. Technically Demanding Rescue WTI Director Sunil Kyarong, who supervised the operation, said rescuing gibbons from such extreme heights required immense technical precision.
“Extraction from these heights demands calm coordination and an in-depth understanding of gibbon behaviour. A single misstep could have resulted in a fatal fall,” he said. The forest department also acknowledged the role of local mountaineering volunteers. “We are grateful to Amaro Meto and Hachu Lombo, who trained our personnel in modern rope-climbing techniques. Without their expertise, safe extraction would not have been possible,” DFO Rumi added.
More At-Risk Families are identified. Officials have identified more stranded gibbon families in the agricultural belt of Denlo village, where similar habitat fragmentation has occurred. “Given the challenging terrain and tree heights, rescue operations will be carried out in phases over the next three months,” the official said. Conservation Urgency Dr Choudhury stressed the ecological importance of the Hoolock gibbon—India’s only ape species, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
“They are crucial indicators of forest health. Continued habitat fragmentation is pushing them to the brink,” he warned. The Arunachal forest department reaffirmed its dedication to gibbon conservation. “Community support has been very encouraging. Together, we will ensure the survival of these endangered apes,” Rumi said. The joint rescue was conducted earlier by teams from the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
