Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary

Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary was formerly known as Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary or Hollongapar Reserve Forest.This was an isolated area of evergreen forest located in the state of Assam of India.  The area was set aside initially in the year 1881  and its forests were seen to extend to the foothills of the Patkai mountain range.  Nowadays it is seen that the forests have been fragmented  and  got surrounded by tea gardens and other small villages.

In the early days artificial regeneration was used to irrigate the area  which reulted in the rich biodiversity. The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary contains India's only gibbons, namely the hoolock gibbons which are  the  only nocturnal primates of Northeastern India,  and the Bengal Slow Loris. The upper canopy of the forest is dominated by the Hollong tree (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus), while the Nahar (Mesua ferrea) dominates the middle canopy. The lower canopyof the forest consists of evergreen shrubs and herbs. The habitat is being threatened by illegal logging or cutting down of the trees, encroachment of human settlements and habitat fragmentation.

The area of the Sanctuary officially extends  Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest, Dissoi Reserve Forest, and Tiru Hill Reserve Forest. These tea  gardens belong to the estates of Dissoi Kothalguri and Hoolonguri cover the distance betwen the sanctuary and the nearest forests in Nagaland.

The tea gardens include Katonibari, Murmurai, Chenijan, Koliapani, Meleng, Kakojan, Dihavelleoguri, Dihingapar, Kothalguri, Dissoi and Hoolonguri. Neighboring villages include Madhupur, Lakhipur, Rampur, Fesual A (the western part), Fesual B (the eastern part), Katonibari, Pukhurai, Velleoguri, Afolamukh, and Kaliagaon.

The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary gets a rainfall of about 249 cms every pear and is situated at an altitude between 100 and 120 m, with a gentle sloping topography from southeast to northwest. The Bhogdoi river which originates from the Naga hills and a tributary of the River Brahmaputra  flows through the Jorhat district of the state of Assam, creates a waterlogged  region which is dominated by semi-hydrophytic plants along the border of the Hoolongapar Wildlife  Sanctuary.  The Bhogdoi river thus helps to create three distict micro eco systems in the Park, namely, the up-slope zone, the down-slope zone, and the flood-prone zone.

Fauna of the Hoolongapar Wildlife Sanctuary 
There is a rich biodiversity  in the Hoolongapar Wildlife Sanctuary  which is home to Western Hoolock Gibbon,  the only apes in the whole of India and Bengal Slow Loris ,  the only nocturnal primate of the Northeast India. Stump Tailed Macaque,  Rhesus Macaque, Northern Pig-tailed Macaque, Eastern Assamese Macaque and Capped Langur are the other primates found in the Sanctuary. One can also find  Indian elephants, tigers, leopards, Jungle catswild boar, three types f civet, four types of squirrels etc. There are at least 219 species of birds and snakes  are also known to live in the Sanctuary.

Flora of the Hoollongapar Gibbon  Wildlife Sanctuary
The vegetation at the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary  is evergreen in character and has so many canopy layers. The upper canopy consists of the trees which have straight trunks like Sam, Amari, Sopas, Bhelu, Udal and Hingori.
Nahar dominates the middle  canopy  with its spreading branches  and casting shade over the area like Bandordima, Dhuna, Bhomora, Ful Gomari, and Bonbogi etc
A variety of the evergrn shrubs makes the lower canopy and the ground layers. Dolu Bamboo, Bojal Bamboo., Jengu, Jati bet, Houka Bet, Tora, Kaupat and Sorat.

How to reach Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary?
The sanctuary is connected by road from Jorhat city (20kms) and Mariani town (5kms). Nearest airport is at Jorhat.

How to Reach Jorhat?
Rowraih is the airport of the Jorhat city. Jorhat is connected to soe of the major cities of India like Guwahati, Kolkata, Bangalore and New Delhi.  Jorhat airport also connects Dibrugarh and Shillong of the Northeast India.

If you are travelling by air to Jorhat you can get connection flights from other cities particularly Kolkata and Guwahati  and then travel by taxis, private cabs and state transport cuses.

If you are travelling by rail to JorhatJorhat railway station is connected to Guwahati railway  station through two trains. The nearest Major railway  junction  is located at Marianni  which is about 17 kilomeers from the Jorhat town.there is a higher frequency of trains at the Marianni Junction. Taxis are available both at Jorhat and Marianni stations.

There are 3 trains which reaches Jorhat at fixed time out of which 2 trains run daily one to Jorhat and the other to marianni.  JanShatapti runs on all days except Sundays.
The timings  and the days are mentioned below.
From Guwahati (GHY)  to Jorhat
Jttn Intercity (15605)  -   08:45 AM(duration: 10h 15m) All Days
Jan Shatabdi Ex (12067)  -  01:10 PM(duration: 6h 40m) Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat
Marianni Jn (MXN) Ghy Intercity(15606)  -  07:00 PM (duration: 0h 30m) All Days

Distances by road to Jorhat from the nearby cities and towns
Guwahati - 293 kilometers
Itanagar - 318 kilometers
Ranchi - 1317 kilometers
Kohima - 194 kilometers
Imphal - 338 kilometers
Shillong - 354 kilometers
Darjeeling - 767 kilometers