Arunachal: Rescued Asiatic Pangolin with its Pangopup released in D. Ering WLS

PASIGHAT: At the time when most people venture out into the jungle and wild to hunt and kill wild animals as a part of tradition or as a pleasure hunting, a couple from Bamin village under Sille-Oyan circle of here in East Siang District.

The couple, namely Taying Taduk and Smti Yale Taduk turned out to be a good Samaritan and set an example to many by rescuing an Asiatic Pangolin with its Pangopup on Tuesday, from their farm yard and handed over the animals to the Range Forest Officer, Anchalghat Wildlife Range of D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary Division, Pasighat.

The rescued Pangolin with its Pangopup was later released inside the sanctuary’s Anchalghat Wildlife range led by Orin Perme, RFO.

On the part of D. Ering WLS Division, Divisional Forest Officer, Kempy Ete and RFO Orin Perme have appreciated Mr. and Mrs. Taduk for their commiseration act and also appealed to all the villagers of the fringe villages of the sanctuary to come forward and help in the conservation of wildlife and control wildlife crime in and around the sanctuary area.

A pangopup is a baby pangolin which is about 15 centimeters long and weighs around 340 grams. Pangopups ride on their mother's tail as she forages for food.

When threatened, the mother rolls herself into a ball around her baby to protect it. Pangopups nurse for three to four months, but can eat ants and termites at one month.

Asiatic Pangolin (Philippine) is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and as endangered on the IUCN red list.

All Pangolin species are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species which prohibits their commercial trade. 

Pangolins are one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, due to which their populations are declining with some species being critically endangered.

Pangolin scales are said to be used in Asian medicines and jewelry. It is worth mentioning here that several numbers of rescued Pangolins from East Siang District including two numbers from Silluk village (the cleanest village of the district) were released safely in the wild of D. Ering WLS in the past where hunting and poaching of wild animals are minimal, as the sanctuary being properly protected.

Moreover, D. Ering WLS is a haven for many Pangolins where researchers and zoologists conduct surveys and record its species from time to time.