Guwahati: A rare golden langur died Saturday after touching a live wire near a transformer in Assam's Bongaigaon district. The accident occurred at Nayapara village, which sits on the edge of the Kakoijana Reserved Forest. This area is a primary habitat for the endangered primate.
Locals and wildlife advocates are furious. They claim the power distribution network lacks basic safety features. Residents say they have begged the Electricity Department to insulate these wires for years. The authorities failed to act. "Repeated appeals had been made to the Electricity Department to insulate power lines and implement measures to prevent such accidents, but little action had been taken," local sources reported.
The death has left the village in shock. Residents held a tribute for the animal before its final rites. Officials from the Forest and Electricity departments showed up to pay their respects as well. Experts warn that overhead power lines remain a massive threat to golden langurs living outside protected zones. The species exists only in western Assam and nearby Bhutan.
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