A rare and endangered Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata) was rescued by the Forest Department after it got trapped in a volleyball net used by locals to prevent entry of wildlife near their settlement in Gudalur forest division on Sunday.
The pangolin, which is trafficked in the black market for use of its body parts in traditional medicine, is spotted very rarely in the Gudalur forest range. On Sunday, locals saw that the animal had gotten trapped in the net and informed the department. Forest staff rushed to the spot and managed to free it.
Sharmili Annadurai, Assistant Conservator of Forests (in-training), who is posted as in-charge ranger of the Cherambadi forest range, said it was a source of encouragement that the locals had informed the department of the incident. “The scales of the animal had gotten entangled in the net, and it could not escape. Field staff managed to extricate it,” she said.
Following its release, the animal was checked by local veterinarians for any signs of injuries, before it was taken to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and released. Ms. Annadurai said the sighting of the Indian pangolin in Cherambadi was an indicator of the species’ continued presence in the landscape. She added that members of local communities would continue to be sensitised to the presence of the animal, and its protected status, so that the Forest Department together with the local communities could ensure their protection.
