A total of 124 Semester-I students from the Departments of Physics & Statistics and Electronics & Mathematics visited the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary on October 18 and 23, respectively. The visits were supervised by Nilave Bhuyan and Dr. Rashmi Rekha Saikia, faculty members of the Zoology department. The field visits were organized as part of the Value-Added Course EVEVA-011 on Environmental Education, providing students with hands-on exposure to forest ecosystems and wildlife while highlighting the importance of conservation.

During the field trips, students were guided through the sanctuary’s dense forest trails by experienced forest officials, who explained its ecological significance. Among the wildlife observed were the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock hoolock), the species for which the reserve forest was declared a sanctuary on July 30, 1997. Other fauna spotted included the Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina), Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides), Capped Langur (Trachypithecus pileatus pileatus), Giant Wood Spider (Nephila pilipes), and the Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor).

Students were equally impressed by the sanctuary’s flora, which includes towering trees like Hollong (Dipterocarpus retusus), Bheleu (Tetrameles nudiflora), Samkothal (Artocarpus chaplasha), and Agaru (Aquilaria malaccensis). Medicinal plants such as Jom Lakhuti (Costus speciosus), along with a rich undergrowth of ferns and shrubs, were also observed.

The students learned about the interdependence between forest flora and fauna, seeing firsthand how fruit-bearing trees support gibbons and other wildlife.

The visit concluded with an interactive session on forest conservation, emphasizing the protection of endangered species and the maintenance of ecological balance.

The educational excursion to Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary not only enhanced students’ academic understanding but also fostered a deeper appreciation for the value of nature.