NEWS: PLoS Biologyà developed a DNA-based “genetic map” that can accurately trace the origin and trafficking routes of illegally traded pangolins, strengthening efforts to combat global wildlife crime. 

ABOUT

The genomic map pinpointed three primary transnational extraction zones: 

·         Southwestern Cameroon (white-bellied), Southwestern Borneo (Sunda), and the border region surrounding Myanmar (Chinese pangolin).

·         Genomic data revealed an active illicit wildlife network originating from northeastern India (around Arunachal Pradesh and Assam) and potentially Bhutan, directly supplying Yunnan province in China.

·         The study disproved the assumption that local and international pangolin trafficking operate separately, showing that domestic supply hubs overlap with global trafficking networks linked to China and Vietnam.

Pangolins

·         Pangolin are shy, solitary, and mostly nocturnal mammals that feed exclusively on ants and termites (myrmecophagy). 

·         They play an important ecological role by aerating and enriching the soil through digging. 

·         It is adaptable to a wide range of habitats including primary and secondary tropical forests, limestone and bamboo forests, grasslands and agricultural fields.

·         There are eight distinct species globally, evenly split between Africa (Black-bellied, White-bellied, Giant Ground, and Temminck's Ground) and Asia (Indian, Philippine, Sunda, and Chinese pangolins).

·         They possess unique, overlapping scales made of keratin covering their bodies and exhibit volvation (rolling into a tight ball) as an evolutionary defense mechanism against predators.

·         In India, the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is mainly restricted to the Northeast and is extremely rare.

Conservation Classifications

·         All eight species of pangolins are strictly regulated under Appendix I of CITES. 

·         On the IUCN Red List, the Indian Pangolin is classified as Endangered (EN), while the Chinese Pangolin is categorized as Critically Endangered (CR).

·         Within India, both the Indian and Chinese pangolins are afforded the highest level of legal immunity under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

·         World Pangolin Day is observed on the third Saturday of February.