Protection of endangered pangolin

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)