CHENNAI: Of the 1,203 pangolins that were poached or killed for illegal trade in the country over a period of four years from 2018, Tamil Nadu accounted for 125 of them, making it the fifth worst among 24 states and one Union Territory which reported seizures of the mammal during the period, a study by NGO TRAFFIC and WWF-India has revealed.
Their fact sheet titled ‘India’s pangolin buried in illegal wildlife trade’ released on the eve of World Pangolin Day, which falls on February 18, pointed out that 1,203 endemic pangolins were found poached and trafficked in the country in 342 seizure incidents during 2018-2022. Seizure incidents include live pangolins and their derivatives, such as scales, carcass, skin, claws, meat, bones and other body parts. Live pangolins alone accounted for about 50% of the seizure, while its scales constituted a 40% share.
International trade in pangolin and their body parts is prohibited as all of its species are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I.
While the species found in Tamil Nadu is Indian Pangolin, a Schedule I animal under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 that bans hunting or trade, a senior forest official told TNIE that the state has been a hotspot for the mammal’s poaching and trafficking. The fact sheet points out that 125 pangolins were poached in the state since 2018, while Odisha accounted for the highest at 154. This comes when experts state that only 5% of contraband smuggled across international borders is detected.
“Our field research and TRAFFIC India studies over the years establish that Tamil Nadu is a major supplier. The state also has strong connections with Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the illegal trade,” the senior forest official said.
The official, while pointing to a lack of research on pangolins in the country, said, “In Tamil Nadu, pangolins are found in Villupuram, Erode, Madurai, Dharmapuri and Vellore. They thrive in a dry deciduous forest ecosystem provided by Eastern Ghats and at the lower foothills of Western Ghats.”
Merwyn Fernandes, coordinator of TRAFFIC’s India operations, said, “Pangolins are poached mainly for international markets in China and Southeast Asia for their scales, which are used as an ingredient in traditional medicines and are believed to cure various ailments. Pangolin meat is also considered a delicacy and consumed for its alleged medicinal properties”.
Uttara Mendiratta, Lead (Counter Wildlife Trafficking programme) at Wildlife Conservation Society, India, said: “The number of pangolins in illegal trade in India is of concern and without proper population estimates, the impact of is unclear and could pose a significant threat to the species. In some parts of Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, pangolins have become locally extinct.”
