In a remarkable act of awareness and quick response, a truck driver rescued an endangered Indian pangolin from the Assam-Manipur border region and handed it over to officials from the Assam Forest Department’s Jirighat range in Cachar on Wednesday evening. Forest officials reported that the driver discovered the pangolin along the inter-state border and, understanding the animal’s protected status and the risks posed by illegal wildlife traders, promptly surrendered it to the authorities.
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, sought after for their scales and bones, which are used in illegal medicinal practices. These animals comprise nearly 20% of global wildlife trafficking. Since 2016, all eight pangolin species have been classified under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), while the Indian pangolin was designated as “Endangered” on the 2019 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The rescued pangolin was later transferred to the Barak Valley wildlife division’s rescue team for rehabilitation and a safe reintroduction to the wild. Forester Dibyajyoti Baishya stated that the pangolin was officially handed over to the rescue team after they took custody from the truck driver at the Cheripool area. The wildlife rescue team, consisting of Trikal Chakrabarty, Sabir Ahmed, Rohit Malakar, and Rameshwar Chasa, acted on directives from senior officials, completed all required formalities, and successfully released the pangolin into a secure natural habitat.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/trucker-rescues-endangered-pangolin-hands-it-over-to-forest-dept/articleshow/125913410.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-12-11 18:48:00
