Context
In the Eastern Ghats, a small movement, to protect the endangered pangolin, is underway which includes the awareness generation, protection from poaching and collaborating for protection.
What is the new project?
- The Eastern Ghats Wildlife Society (EGWS), in collaboration with Save Pangolins and Pangolin Crisis Fund USA initiated an immediate conservation status survey to acquire vital data on the presence/absence of the species and specific human-induced threats.
- The project area is mainly human-dominated landscapes and unprotected forest patches where Pangolins inhabit.
- The main goal of the project is to generate baseline data on the distribution of Indian pangolins in Northern Andhra Pradesh.
About Pangolin
- Pangolins are solitary and primarily nocturnal animals.
- Also known as scaly anteaters, they belong to the Mammals.
- Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin; they are the only known mammals with this feature.
- It lives in hollow trees and burrows.
- Eight species of pangolins are found on two continents namely Africa and Asia. They range from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered.
- Four species live in Africa:
- Black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla)
- White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis)
- Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea)
- Temminck's Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii)
- Four species found in Asia:
- Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)
- Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis)
- Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica)
- Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
