Scientists have documented the world’s first confirmed case of a Western Hoolock Gibbon using a specially designed canopy bridge
May 16, 2026: A male Western Hoolock Gibbon was recorded using a specially built canopy bridge over the Lumding–Dibrugarh railway line inside Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, marking what scientists described as a global first. According to Wildlife Institute of India scientist GV Gopi, who led the project, this is the first documented case anywhere in the world of a gibbon using a canopy bridge built over an active railway track.
The scientist said five double-rope canopy bridges fitted with safety nets were installed after the electrification of the railway line passing through the sanctuary. The structures were designed to help tree-dwelling animals safely cross the tracks without descending to the ground, where they face threats from trains and predators. Researchers said such infrastructure can help reduce habitat fragmentation caused by roads and railway lines cutting through forests.
The Western Hoolock Gibbon is India’s only ape species and is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Found mainly in the forests of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland, the species depends entirely on connected forest canopies for movement and survival. Scientists stressed that long-term conservation would require eco-sensitive infrastructure planning and restoration of forest corridors to reconnect fragmented habitats.