The Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced on Friday, June 26, 2026 that seven rescued Golden Langurs have been released back into Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park, marking a significant step in the state's effort to protect one of India's most endangered primate species.

Context

The Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei) is among the most endangered primates in the world, found almost exclusively in a narrow belt of western Assam and neighbouring Bhutan. Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, the species faces mounting pressure from habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and human-wildlife conflict along the Brahmaputra valley's forest fringes.

Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park is a protected area in Assam established specifically to safeguard habitat for the Golden Langur and associated wildlife. Its creation reflects the state's recognition that viable forest corridors are essential to the species' survival.

Policy Backdrop

The release is part of a broader, ongoing pattern of primate rescue and rehabilitation carried out by Assam's forest department under the framework of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. India's biodiversity commitments — including obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity — require state governments to actively manage and restore wildlife populations in protected areas.

Assam has historically maintained several protected areas in the Brahmaputra valley, and periodic rescue-and-release operations are a key tool for countering population decline caused by habitat loss. The state's forest department works alongside wildlife rescuers and local forest communities to identify, rehabilitate, and safely reintroduce distressed animals.

Stakeholders and Impact

Wildlife conservationists and forest communities in western Assam stand to benefit directly from such interventions, which help stabilise primate populations and reduce human-wildlife conflict near forest edges. Each successful release also contributes data points for ongoing population assessments of the Golden Langur.

For the seven langurs now returned to Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park, the release represents a return to their natural habitat after a period of rescue and care. Conservation groups have long advocated for more robust post-release monitoring to track survival and integration into existing troops.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to post-release monitoring of the seven langurs to assess their adaptation back into the wild. Experts and conservationists will watch for any expansion of protected buffer zones in western Assam, which remains critical to ensuring the long-term viability of Golden Langur populations on the Indian side of the range.

The Assam government's continued investment in rescue operations and protected-area management will be a key indicator of the state's commitment to reversing the decline of this rare, charismatic primate.