Indian Pangolin Manis Crassicaudata Research Articles

Coexistence of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Geoffroy, 1803) (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae) and Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica (Kerr, 1792) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Hystricidae) in Purulia District, West Bengal, India

The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and the Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica are subject to extensive poaching in Purulia District (West Bengal, India), diminishing their populations, and making the study difficult. Applying methodologies that include local sightings, field observations, camera trapping, and quadrate analysis, these species were observed to co-occur in rocky cavities in Ajodhya hills at several locations. Evidence for this included fresh pangolin tail drag marks, claw prints, footprints, scales, porcupine quills, teeth marks, and faecal matter in the same locations within the study area. Quadrate analysis showed that the trees housing the target prey species of the Indian Pangolin as well as the trees bearing fruits favoured by the Indian Crested Porcupine, occurred at maximum frequency within the Quadrate area. We hypothesise that pangolins and porcupines co-occupy rocky cavities for protection from poachers, who can easily break into more typical burrows and set traps in front of them. This may be an example of adaption to poaching, which demonstrates the necessity of conservation measures to alleviate severe anthropogenic pressure.

Camera trap surveys reveal a wildlife haven: mammal communities in a tropical forest adjacent to a coal mining landscape in India

Having knowledge of the status and distribution of species in a specific geographic area is crucial for creating efficient conservation strategies. In this study, we evaluated the abundance and diversity of medium to large sized mammals in a tropical forest in India that has been greatly impacted by coal mining. Using camera traps between June 2018 and December 2018, we recorded 27 mammal species over 3432 trap-nights in 81 camera trap stations within the study area. The photo-captured species included both common and high conservation value threatened species, such as tiger Panthera tigris, leopard P. pardus, sloth bear Melursus ursinus, Asian elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos gaurus, Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, and four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis. Wild boar Sus scrofa was found to be the most frequently photo-captured and widespread species. Our study provides valuable data on the species inventory and the relative abundance of species in the area, highlighting its significance for mammal conservation. It also emphasizes the need for effective conservation management strategies to protect the remaining forest fragments containing high diversity of mammals, including several threatened species in India.

Illegal trade of pangolins in India with international trade links: an analysis of seizures from 1991 to 2022

Pangolins have become one of the most intensely poached and trafficked mammal species, exploited mainly for the food and traditional medicine trade. Intense and continued illegal exploitation for commercial trade has become the leading cause of pangolin declines in parts of Asia and Africa. Recent research has illustrated the growing threat this poses to pangolins in India. India is home to two species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and the Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla, which have been assessed as endangered and critically endangered respectively. Pangolin seizures in India between 1991 and 2022 were analysed to gain a better understanding of illegal trade dynamics. A total of 426 seizures were collated, involving an estimated 8603 pangolins. The frequency of pangolin seizures increased over time as did the volume of estimated pangolins seized. This could be due to a range of different factors including rising poaching and trade levels, increased law enforcement and reporting, and awareness. Nevertheless, on the ground, investigations by the Wildlife Protection Society of India strongly indicate that the escalating poaching and trade in pangolins is driven by lucrative market demands from beyond India’s borders, with a growing focus on the trade in live pangolins. Enforcement efforts appear to be undermined by low prosecution rates with only 1.4% of recorded seizures resulting in successful convictions. Asian pangolins have rapidly disappeared from their natural range and been locally extirpated in many parts of East and Southeast Asia. India’s pangolin species are at similar risk if poaching and trafficking levels continue unmitigated.

Mammalian diversity of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India

Camera traps were deployed at 123 stations in an area of 346.91 km2 in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary between 25 August 2018 and 29 December 2019 that provided the effort of 3,150 trap-days. Of the 2,767 photo captures, 1,304 were mammals belonging to 13 families and 27 large and medium-sized mammals were recorded in the study area. Carnivores were especially diverse, with 11 species recorded with particular four felidae including Tiger Pantera tigris, Leopard Panthera pardus, and globally threatened Rusty-spotted Cats which extended the range of this species. Leopard was the most captured species with the highest relative abundance (RAI = 5.68) among the carnivore species, whereas the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (RAI = 0.06) had the lowest abundance. We provide photographic evidence of mammalian species and highlight the importance of conservation of dry deciduous forests for threatened and vulnerable species in the study area. The current camera trap survey is expected to help in the formulation of management strategies for long-term conservation of mammalian species in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Pangolin seizures in Nepal indicate priority areas for conservation interventions

AbstractTwo species of pangolins occur in Nepal: the Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla and the Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata. They are categorized as Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red List, and are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973 in Nepal. Although both this national law and CITES prohibit pangolin hunting and trade, such trade still occurs. To better understand the patterns of pangolin hunting and trade in Nepal, we analysed data on pangolin seizures gathered from official records, grey literature and verified public media reports dating from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020. A total of 122 pangolin seizures were reported in 27 districts, mostly in the central mid-hills. Seizure cases included 23 live pangolins, 18 whole-body skins with scales and 1,046.7 kg of scales. We estimate a minimum of 1,500 individuals were hunted locally over the 11-year study period. Analysis of the trade network identified the capital city, Kathmandu, as the main pangolin trade hub, with scales being the most commonly seized item. The illegal trade occurred mostly in two regions: central and eastern Nepal, and areas bordering China. The pangolins were hunted mainly from core habitats within rural areas, then transported to the city for trade. These data support the future development of effective law enforcement and policy interventions for this region, to stop the illegal pangolin trade. Greater understanding of the patterns of the local pangolin trade and the identification of hotspot areas and peak hunting seasons will allow us to prioritize areas for future conservation interventions.

First photographic evidence of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata Geoffroy, 1803 (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae), in Colonel Sher Jung National Park, Himachal Pradesh, India

The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata is ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List. We report the first photographic evidence of its presence in Colonel Sher Jung National Park of Paonta Valley in Himachal Pradesh. Camera-traps (n = 64) were used to assess the diversity and abundance of terrestrial mammals. Over 1,912 trap nights, we documented 16 mammals, of which the Indian Pangolin was photo-captured at a single camera-trap station with two independent records. Although the presence of species has been indicated in a few studies conducted in the study area, no photographic evidence of the Indian Pangolin from the National Park has previously been reported. We strongly recommend additional fieldwork in and around the protected area to learn more about the Indian Pangolin’s distribution, habitat use, and ecology.

Habitat preference of the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata inhabiting Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad, Pakistan

The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata, is an ‘Endangered’ mammal species native to Pakistan but facing a risk of extinction due to hunting pressure for its scales used in trade. The current study investigated habitat preference of this unique species in the Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad, from September 2011 to August 2012. Three habitat types, viz, human vicinity area, agricultural land, and wild/natural area, were searched for recording signs of Indian Pangolin. Data on habitat preference was collected from direct and indirect signs of the species by monitoring 85 line transects, each measuring 500m in length and 50m in width, in 17 different sampling sites. A total of 323 signs of Indian Pangolin were recorded including 299 burrows, 10 live sightings, and 14 scats of the species. The maximum number of signs were recorded in wild or unmodified natural area (55.1%), followed by those in vicinity to human use area (20.12%), while the least (24.76%) were found in agricultural area. Statistical comparison using one-way analysis of variance of pangolin field signs, among three different types of habitats studied, differed significantly (df= 48, F= 13.723, p <0.001). Similarly, LSD analysis further revealed that field signs of Indian pangolin recorded on natural or wild habitat significantly differed from those which were on agricultural land and human vicinity area (p <0.001). The study concludes that the Indian Pangolin prefers habitats in the wild or natural area over those close to human vicinity and agricultural lands.

Record of the world’s biggest pangolin? New observations of bodyweight and total body length of the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata Gray, 1827 (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae) from Mannar District, Sri Lanka

The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata is one of the eight extant pangolin species in the world, occurring in the Indian subcontinent and is the solitary pangolin species recorded in Sri Lanka. Little is known about the intra-specific morphometric variations of the Indian Pangolin, largely due to the limited observations. In this note, we report the morphometrics of the largest Indian Pangolin recorded so far in its range, and consequently the largest pangolin ever to be recorded according to published information. These records along with observations from other range countries provide novel insights into the maximum growth of male Indian Pangolins.

Mammal richness and diversity in a Himalayan hotspot: the role of protected areas in conserving Bhutan’s mammals

More than 51% of Bhutan is in a protected area (PA) network and our study demonstrates its effectiveness in conserving large and medium mammal species. We conducted camera trapping in Bhutan’s PAs, biological corridors (BCs) and intervening non-protected areas (NPAs) to investigate the richness and diversity of mammals, and assess the network’s efficacy in protecting mammals. 1858 camera traps were deployed within 1129 5-km × 5-km grids over 536 days between 2014 and 2015, resulting in 148,598 trap-nights (mean = 80 traps-nights/camera) which yielded nearly 10 million photos (mean = 5368 photos/camera trap). Fifty-six mammal species (65% of Bhutan’s 86 medium and large terrestrial mammal species) representing 18 families within seven orders were identified, of which, 18 (32.16%) are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There was a significant difference in mammal diversity between PAs, BCs, and NPAs (PERMANOVA test; p < 0.001; Pseudo-F = 6.40; unique perms = 9921), with the strongest difference between PAs and NPAs. Additionally, Hill’s numbers q = 0 (species richness), q = 1 (Shannon’s entropy index) and q = 2 (Simpson’s concentration index) revealed a higher mammal diversity in PAs compared to BCs and NPAs. Higher mammal diversity in PAs can be attributed to the added presence of threatened species, including the tiger Panthera tigris, red panda Ailurus fulgens, Asian elephant Elephas maximus, and golden langur Trachypithecus geei. However, BCs and NPAs share similar patterns of mammal diversity, and globally threatened species such as the Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla and Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata were only detected in NPAs. Although Bhutan’s PA network is effective in conserving much of the country’s mammal diversity, realignment of some protected areas and biological corridors would ensure the long-term protection of several threatened mammal species.

Distribution and illegal killing of the Endangered Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata on the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan

AbstractThe Endangered Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, a burrowing, armoured mammal, plays an important role in the food web by consuming insects and termites. In Pakistan the species’ range includes the 22,000 km2 Potohar Plateau, where it is under pressure from illegal hunting for its scales and requires conservation attention. We used a geographical information system to quantify the range of the Indian pangolin on the Plateau and to compare this with the range estimated in the IUCN Red List assessment of the species. We found that the species occupies c. 89% of the Plateau, in eight of the 10 protected areas, compared with the IUCN estimate of 71%, and we recorded the species at 40 locations on the Plateau outside the range predicted by the IUCN assessment. We collected data on the illegal capture and killing of the species, recording 412 individuals that had been killed at 48 locations between January 2011 and the end of April 2013. The highest number of killings was recorded in Chakwal District (n = 156, at 13 sites) followed by the Attock District (n = 149, at eight sites). Although the Indian pangolin's range on the Potohar Plateau is c. 18% larger than that estimated in the IUCN assessment, the species is under pressure from illegal killing and requires urgent conservation measures to save the small remaining population and avoid the extirpation of this vital insectivorous predator from the area.

Behavioural sampling techniques and activity pattern of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Mammalia: Manidae) in captivity

The study presents data on six Indian Pangolins Manis crassicaudata observed in captivity at the Pangolin Conservation Breeding Centre, Nandankanan, Odisha, India over 1377 hours of video recordings for each pangolin between 1500hr and 0800hr on 81 consecutive observational days. Video recordings were made through digital systems assisted by infrared enabled CCTV cameras. The data highlights patterns relate to 12 different behaviour and enclosure utilization. Different interval periods for sampling of instantaneous behaviour from video recordings have been evaluated to develop optimal study methods for the future. The activity budgets of pangolins displayed natural patterns of nocturnal activity with a peak between 20:00-21:00 hr. When out of their burrow, they spent about 59% of the time walking in the enclosure, and 14% of the time feeding. The repeatability of the behaviours has a significant negative correlation with the mean time spent in that behaviour. Focal behavioural samples significantly correlated with instantaneous samples up to 15 minutes interval. The correlation values gradually decreased with the increase in sampling interval. The results indicate that results obtained from focal sampling and instantaneous sampling with relatively shorter intervals (=5 minutes) are about equally reliable. The study suggests use of focal sampling, instead of instantaneous sampling to record behaviour relating to social interactions.

An Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata found wounded in Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan

An Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata found wounded in Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan