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colour differences between males and females. Their white eyebrows further set them apart,” said Shyamal Debbarma, who has been involved in multiple studies on the primate species.

An adult hoolock gibbon typically measures between 60-90 centimetres in length and weighs between 6-9 kilogrammes. While males and females are similar in size, their body colours differ significantly. Males have black skin with white eyebrows, whereas females have grey-brown fur, with darker patches near the throat and neck. Females also have distinctive white fur around their eyes and mouth, resembling a mask.

Hoolocks give birth after 6-7 months of gestation. The babies are initially covered in fuzzy white fur, which darkens to black or brownish-grey within six months, depending on the sex. They reach adulthood at around 8-9 years of age and can live up to 25 years.

“The gibbons’ existence is severely threatened due to rampant deforestation, habitat destruction, and food shortages. These primates are territorial and do not mix with other groups. They survive on fruits such as figs, chapalish (wild breadfruits), cowpea, berries, and banyan, as well as bamboo leaves and young tree shoots,” said Md Shahidul Islam, former range officer of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department.

To ensure the gibbons’ survival, conservation efforts have ramped up in Lawachara. Authorities are planting fruit-bearing trees such as figs and chapalish to ensure a stable food source for the gibbons. These efforts have seen the primate population gradually rise in Lawachara, unlike other areas where their populations are dwindling.

However, experts warn that habitat loss and food shortages continue to threaten the survival of the species and call for urgent action to protect these primates before they disappear from the country’s forests entirely. This includes sustained habitat protection, reforestation efforts, and stringent policies to curb deforestation.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), these gibbons are classified as critically endangered both nationally and globally.