Arunachal’s semi-wild bovines to wear fluorescent collars

GUWAHATI

The mithun, a semi-wild bovine creature, will soon start wearing fluorescent collars to be visible enough for drivers on a major highway in central Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district.

The mithun (Bos frontalis) is a free-ranging animal and stays mostly in the jungles. Seeking warmth, mithuns usually spend winter nights on the roads, leading to accidents fatal for humans and animals.

“Unlike cows, mithuns have a black or deep brown hide, making them less visible at night on poorly lit highways, especially in foggy stretches. The death of at least 30 mithuns in road accidents, some dragged for miles by vehicles, made us think of something that may save them,” Niyang Pertin, Circle Officer of Pangin told The Hindu on Saturday (February 8, 2025).

Pangin is about 20 km from Pasighat, the nearest major town, and headquarters of East Siang district.

Inspired by the fluorescent jackets of construction workers, Ms. Pertin located a vendor in New Delhi who sells glow-collars. Along with Okep Dai, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department (Highways), Pasighat Division, she purchased 200 collars for the mithuns.

A series of meetings with the mithun owners and gaonburas (village chiefs) preceded the collar distribution programme on Friday. Pangin’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Gamtum Padu presided over the event.

Mithun owners were presented with the collars after they were convinced that their animals would be safer at night. “We thought we had too many collars. As it turned out, we could not give the collars to quite a few mithun owners,” Ms. Pertin, who is also in charge of the Kebang Circle, said.

“We wanted the mithuns to be as safe as the humans who use the roads. We hope our initiative will serve the purpose,” Mr. Dai said.

The mithun collar idea has caught on, officials in Pangin said. There have been enquiries from mithun owners from other parts of the State, seeking guidance to procure the fluorescent collars.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the mithun holds immense cultural significance, serving as a symbol of wealth and social status, is often used as a form of currency for barter trade, and is especially seen as a crucial part of the bride price in tribal marriages.