Endangered Pangolins Revive In Margalla Hills National Park

The endangered species of Pangolins are thriving in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) which is a scaly anteater and the most trafficked mammal in the world useful to protect forest trees from termites

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jan, 2022 ) :The endangered species of Pangolins are thriving in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) which is a scaly anteater and the most trafficked mammal in the world useful to protect forest trees from termites.

The MHNP homes some 38 mammals, 27 reptiles and over 600 plant species and no doubt it is the habitat of the endangered scaly anteater under threat of poaching, hunting and human conflicts, told APP Manager Operations Islamabad Wildlife Management board (IWMB) Sakhwat Ali.

Sakhawat said the IWMB officials had confiscated around six pangolins from the poachers and released them in the wild.

He said the increase in protection increases the number of species, adding, "Animal population disperses after rise in number and becomes conspicuous to people." The IWMB official informed that more protection lead to preservation and then to conservation that helped to completely protect the environment.

Overpopulation of any wild species needed management which was the fourth step of the above mentioned, he said.

Pakistan Wildlife Foundation (PWF) Vice Chairman Safwan Ahmed told that there were eight species of pangolin, four each in Asia and Africa and it was not found anywhere else in the world.

"All are species of Pangolins are endangered. The Chinese pangolin is near extinction or critically endangered," he highlighted.

He informed that the Indian pangolin specie was found throughout the country except Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

Safwan mentioned that the scales of pangolin were used by the mammal for its defence and that was why called scaly anteater eating termites and ants diet.

In the past two decades, he said pangolins were overhunted globally for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for medicinal purposes. Pangolin's soup was allegedly consumed by the Chinese elite as a cure to many diseases but it was not proven scientifically. Initially, the gypsies used to poach and sale it for Rs20,000 to smugglers who used to sale it internationally for Rs400,000 which has now been sold for Rs2million.

He regretted that the regional bodies established to stop pangolins poaching mainly SAWAN, TRAFFIC in South Asia and CITES have unfortunately failed to achieve their goal.

PWF survey in 2019 regrettably found no species of Pangolins in their based habitats in Karak and D.I.Khan that was searched thoroughly.

During the survey he said there were many myths found by the Foundation. "In KP, there is one myth that Pangolin eats infants of human died in 100 days. In Punjab, as per the myth, the people call it sinister and believe that it creates burrows in graves" He pointed out that Pangolins were only found in Potohar region of Punjab province as in central Punjab intencive cultivation completely vanished rodents and reptiles of all species.

Interestingly, he said the AJK myth claimed that if one hung Pangolin's scales around a cow or buffalo's neck it will never lose its fertility and protects her calf from wild animal's attacks.

In Sindh, it was considered ominous and its scales were used for black magic and conjuring to satiate envious nature of people whereas in Balochistan, women with infertility were given grinded scales to bear kids, he added.

To a question, he said in Islamabad he frequently witnessed pangolins twice a year and also received phone calls from volunteers in F-7, F-8 and G-9 sectors to report presence of pangolins.

He added that they were mainly residing in these sectors due to nullahs and old vegetation suitable for their survival.

"99% people do not dare to touch a pangolin due to its scary appearance with the perception that it may harm their life which is completely wrong as it's a very innocent animal. My five-year old daughter picks up a pangolin in her lap." Commenting on the ecological role of pangolins in environment, he said Potohar forests were predominantly of Acacia Modesta or Phulai trees that were ill due to the presence of termites and absence of pangolins.

"The remedy is to develop breeding centers at every 10 square kilometers or place two pairs of pangolins in every 100 square kilometers. Also, there should be a breeding and rehabilitation centre to protect and increase it number." Moreover, he said mass awareness on harmless nature of pangolins should be created to protect the most important vanishing species of scaly anteater.

Captive breeding and training/395