Pangolin captured by security guard in rescued by wildlife, WWF-P officials

Karachi

The Sindh Wildlife Department and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan jointly took into custody an Indian pangolin (manis crassicaudata) captured by a security guard late Friday night on the Khayaban-e-Hafiz, DHA Karachi.  

The 4-feet and 10-inches long animal was later kept in the house of a citizen, Ronaq Lakhani, who informed the WWF-Pakistan officials about the incident.

It is reported that the animal had slight injuries on its body and it would be quarantined for a few days by the Sindh Wildlife Department before releasing it into the Khirthar National Park.

According to Rab Nawaz, senior director for biodiversity in the WWF-Pakistan, poaching, illegal hunting and trafficking of the animal to a few countries, including China and Vietnam, had drastically reduced its population in Pakistan.

He said the WWF-Pakistan was working in close coordination with the provincial wildlife departments to tackle illegal wildlife trade and had also initiated a USAID-funded project for this purpose.

The wildlife expert also emphasised on the need of strict vigilance and monitoring of the wildlife smuggling in the country and added that the WWF-Pakistan had recently conducted a capacity building training for the officials of customs, wildlife and other relevant departments to combat illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan.

Saeedul Islam, coordinator conservation in the WWF-Pakistan, said that pangolin, a scaly anteater, was hunted for its scales, which were smuggled out of Pakistan at lucrative rates.

He also said that there was an urgent need for creating awareness among the general population, especially students, because of unfamiliarity with this animal; usually the panic was created if a pangolin was found at any location.

Eight species of the pangolin exist in the world, particularly in Asia and Africa, and the only one that is Indian pangolin is found in Pakistan.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, all species of pangolin are endangered and require immediate conservation efforts.