Phayre’s Leaf Monkey Killed By Speeding Driver
A tragic incident near Assam University, Silchar, involving the death of an endangered Phayre’s Leaf Monkey highlights the urgent need for wildlife protection and speed control measures.
In what can only be described as a right royal mess, a tragic incident near Assam University in Silchar has once again brought into sharp focus the uneasy cohabitation of man and beast. A Phayre’s Leaf Monkey — also known as the Spectacled Monkey due to the pale rings around its eyes — met a rather untimely and unfortunate end on Monday after being struck down by a speeding motorcycle.
The ill-fated encounter occurred around 11 in the morning, not far from the university gates, on a stretch of road that wildlife frequently uses as a crossing. Sources report that a local resident witnessed the incident and raised the alarm, but alas, it was too little, too late. The monkey, an endangered species found in only a handful of regions including the surrounding forests of Silchar and Tripura’s Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, died on the spot.
Professor Parthankar Choudhury, Dean of the EP Odum School of Environmental Sciences at Assam University, minced no words. “We are deeply grieved by this loss. This is a rare species, and its presence in this area is significant. Measures must be taken post-haste to ensure no more such senseless deaths occur.”
The Divisional Forest Officer of Cachar, Mr Vijay Palve, reacted with commendable urgency, stating to the press, “We shall be sending our teams to the site to gather more information. Furthermore, we will initiate discussions with authorities, including the NHIDCL, to put up signboards urging motorists to slow down at known wildlife crossing points — particularly near the university where sightings are frequent.”
While it’s all well and good to talk about measures, many local conservationists argue that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Words alone won’t bring back a lost species or mend broken ecological balance.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for a more robust and visible wildlife protection strategy in and around Assam’s semi-urban forest fringes. After all, one can’t help but wonder — what’s the point of preserving species in sanctuaries if they’re flattened just outside their forest homes?
In a related environmental push, the Voice of Environment in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry, Karimganj College, held a workshop on Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy Prospective. Eminent scientist and Gandhian Young Technological Innovation awardee Dr Satya Sundar Bhattacharya of Tezpur University delivered a riveting talk, which, by all accounts, was the bee’s knees.
He expounded upon the perils of plastic waste, highlighting the alarming degradation of soil health due to poor waste management — a theme that tied in seamlessly with the monkey’s death. Urban sprawl, haphazard development, and a lack of coordinated planning, he argued, are wreaking havoc not only in the soil but also across our shared ecosystems.
Dr Bhattacharya stressed the importance of segregating waste and spoke at length about vermicomposting — using earthworms to clean up our muck, both literally and metaphorically. His message was clear: nature has the tools; we just need to stop making a pig’s ear of things.
Meanwhile, the Department of Forest’s planned signboards — if and when they come up — might help somewhat. But unless drivers get the message loud and clear that they’re not the only ones using the roads, we’ll continue to see wildlife casualties piling up like uncollected rubbish.
It’s high time we stopped monkeying around with conservation and put some real action into protecting our most vulnerable cohabitants. One more tragedy like this, and we’ll have more signboards than species.
Picture and News Sources : The Assam tribune
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