PANGOLINS

Wildlife Protection Society of India – Tier 2 Ganjam, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Mayurbhanj in Odisha, eastern India

In India, populations of the Indian pangolin are being targeted for the illegal trade in live pangolins and their body parts – mainly scales, meat, and skin. Odisha is believed to be one of the last strongholds of the Indian pangolin. It has also been identified as potentially the location where poachers are capturing pangolins and transporting them for the illegal trade in live pangolins and their body scales.

Since 1994, the Wildlife Protection Society of India has pioneered investigations into poaching and trade in endangered species and has assisted enforcement authorities in apprehending numerous wildlife criminals across India. the Wildlife Protection Society of India has built a dedicated informer network to gather local intelligence on pangolin trade, and investigates the little-known involvement of nomadic poaching tribes in Odisha. The team sensitises local communities living in remote parts of the region, particularly where the threat of illegal pangolin poaching and trade is most prevalent.

2022-2023 Update

During 2022-2023, the team carried out field investigations covering a vast area, while gathering new and relevant information on possible hotspots for pangolin poaching. This included seven new locations of nomadic and traditional camps known to target smaller mammals and wildlife species for local trade, the identification of ten vulnerable villages where pangolin poaching and trade is prevalent, and 110 locations identified as having either pangolins present or suitable habitat This data was used to update a pangolin ‘threat zone’ map, showing the location where both pangolins are present and poaching is highly likely, and model pangolin habitat suitability This data will be critical to inform conservation efforts

To ensure active community participation in pangolin protection in their project areas, the Wildlife Protection Society of India put up over 500 billboards in identified and targeted village locations. Through this medium, the team displayed information on their reward scheme in return for information concerning the illegal trade in pangolins in Odia, the local language, and gave the free-to-call contact number of the Wildlife Crime Cell for people to report incidents of wildlife crime, in particular concerning pangolins. They have had a large volume of anecdotal evidence from local people that these billboards act as a ready reference to report crimes against pangolins and thus deter potential crime.

How many pangolins?

• Scientific name: Manidae spp

- Eight species of pangolin: Chinese, Ground/Temminck’s, Sunda, Giant Ground, Indian, Tree/White-Bellied, Long Tailed/Black-Bellied, and Philippine

• No robust population estimatesin decline

• IUCN* status: Indian – Endangered;