Endangered beauty lurks in Lawachara woods

Photographs at the exhibition

The recent photography exhibition at Nolinikantho Bhottoshali Gallery, National Museum, features these endangered species as well as other exotic fauna and flora of Lawachara. The exhibition was inaugurated on July 26.

Adult hoolock gibbons reach a size of 60 to 90 cm and weigh up to 9 kg. Both sexes are about the same size, but they differ considerably in colour: males are of black colour with white brows that stand out, while females have grey-brown fur, which is darker at the chest and neck. White rings around the eyes and around the mouth give their face a mask-like appearance.

Hoolock gibbons live together in monogamous pairs and they are usually territorial. Their calls serve to locate family members and ward off other gibbons from their territory; hence they are popularly known as the 'singing apes'. Their diet consists mainly of fruits, insects and leaves.

Young hoolock gibbons have milky white fur. In six months their fur turns darker. Parents take care of their children for almost 8/9 years. Their life expectancy in the wild is about 25 years.

Sirajul Hossain has captured the exotic apes in their different moods, while eating, feeding and nurturing their young ones and leaping from one branch to another. Photographs titled Security, Eating green, Juvenile on Fig tree, The Family series, Female and infant series, Guarding the family, Singing and Acrobatics makes one feel as if this is indeed the planet of the apes and we are the intruders.

Capped langurs, otherwise known as hanuman, are also highlighted in some photographs. With their tails longer than the body and head combined, golden-yellow fur and dark crown, capped langurs are quite a sight. Rhesus macaques and phayer's langurs, known as chashma banor (monkey with specs) are featured as well.

Images of other species in Lawachara National Park -- Indian monoclet cobra (padmo gokhra), greater yellownap woodpecker (kaththokra), orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel, civet, crested serpent eagle and white-rumped shama (shyama) -- have also found a place in the display.

A photograph titled Primitive plant shows a budding shrub that could easily be mistaken as part of the flora depicted in The Lost World. Lush greens soaking up torrential rain will make any nature-lover eager to rush to Lawachara. A treat for the eye literally as it is believed that the human eye can detect more shades of green than any other colour.

The exhibition ended yesterday.