Odisha records the highest number of seizure incidences involving pangolins and derivatives in illegal wildlife trade in India. Maharashtra follows Odisha, according to the latest data released by Traffic. When 154 pangolins were seized in 74 seizures in Odisha, Maharashtra recorded 135 pangolins in 47 seizure incidents.
In its data covering the period 2018–2022, TRAFFIC found over 1000 pangolins in the illegal wildlife trade. They said that over 880 kg of pangolin derivatives and 199 live pangolins were reported in 342 seizure incidents in the five years.
Traffic Data showed that trafficking of pangolin derivatives from India to China was mainly through Myanmar and Nepal. It said that Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) reported to have seized 336.9 kg of pangolin scales from 2019-2022.
WWF-India Secretary General & CEO Ravi Singh said ; “As reported in our latest Fact sheet, the number of pangolin seizure incidents is a cause of concern for the survival of this elusive species, for which there is limited information on population status and distribution. There is an imperative need to focus on pangolins, strengthen their protection and conservation for their future survival.”
FINDINGS
- 1203 pangolins found in illegal wildlife trade in India during 2018-2022.
- 342 incidents of pangolin seizures, representing an approximately 1025 numbers and 885 kg of pangolins and their derivatives
- 24 states and one Union Territory reported seizures of pangolins and their derivatives 50% of seizure incidences included live pangolins 40% of seizure incidences included pangolin scales
- Pangolins are poached mainly for international markets in China and South-East Asia. In India, they are netted, trapped or snared mostly for their scales used as an ingredient in traditional medicines, believed to cure various ailments, and for their meat consumed as a delicacy and for its alleged medicinal properties
PANGOLIN SPECIES
Indian Pangolin and Chinese Pangolin are the two.
The Indian Pangolin is found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In India, the species is widely distributed and has been recorded in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
The Chinese Pangolin is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, the Province of China, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In India, the species is reported from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal. The range of Chinese Pangolin overlaps with the Indian Pangolin in Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.
