Forest Department Rescues Endangered Pangolin in Pancharatna; Cracks Down on Poachers in Goalpara

Boko: Officials from the Pancharatna Zonal Forest Department Office with the help of local youths rescued an endangered wild pangolin from Pancharatna Khutabari village. They then brought it to Pancharatna Zonal Department Forest office. Later, the Pangolin was released into the dense forests of the Pancharatna Reserved Forest. According to the forest official the weight of the pangolin is about three kilograms and the length is 1.5 meters long. Forest officials also emphasized that though the pangolin is now an endangered animal, it is commonly seen in the Pancharatna Reserved Forest. Forest department also thanked the youths of the Khutabari village for their care towards animals.

 The Assam Forest Department arrested four poachers in a major crackdown at Daranggiri in Goalpara district recently. The poachers were caught with Pangolin scales, a rare and highly prized item in illegal wildlife trade.

Pangolin scales are in high demand in parts of Asia, where they are used in traditional medicine and as a delicacy. Despite their medicinal properties, scientific reports indicate that the scales are ineffective in treating ailments.

Nonetheless, the illegal trade continues to threaten pangolin populations, with over a million pangolins poached from the wild over the past decade. In 2019, there was a record high in pangolin scale seizures, underscoring the alarming levels of trafficking between Africa and Asia. On the black market, pangolin scales can fetch over 2.5 lakhs rupees ($3000) per kilogram.

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