Goalpara, Aug 30: A group of vigilant youths from Khutabari village in Goalpara district along with officials from the Pancharatna Zonal Forest Department Office successfully rescued an endangered pangolin on Thursday night.

The group spotted an endangered pangolin on Thursday night and immediately contacted the state forest department. Officials from the Pancharatna Zonal Forest Department Office immediately arrived at the scene in Khutabari village and, with the assistance of the local youths, successfully rescued the rare animal.

The pangolin, weighing approximately three kilograms and measuring 1.5 meters in length, was safely transported to the Pancharatna Zonal Forest Department office. Later that night, the forest officials released the pangolin into the dense forests of the Pancharatna Reserved Forest.

Forest officials acknowledged the youths for their prompt action and concern for wildlife, and noted that while the pangolin is critically endangered, sightings are still somewhat common in the Pancharatna Reserved Forest.

The discovery comes on the heels of a major crackdown by the Assam Forest Department earlier this month. On August 11, four poachers were arrested in Daranggiri, Goalpara district, during an operation that uncovered pangolin scales—a highly sought-after item in the illegal wildlife trade. Despite being touted for their medicinal properties in parts of Asia, scientific studies have shown that pangolin scales are ineffective in treating ailments.

The illegal trade in pangolin scales continues to pose a severe threat to pangolin populations, with over a million pangolins poached globally in the past decade. In 2019, pangolin scale seizures reached record highs, underscoring the alarming scale of trafficking between Africa and Asia. On the black market, pangolin scales can fetch over Rs. 2.5 lakhs (approximately $3,000) per kilogram, further fuelling the illegal trade.

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