SURUDEV to Commemorate World Pangolin Day 2025


SURUDEV to Commemorate World Pangolin Day 2025

Written on 2025-02-04 10:48:52

Pangolin are ant-eating mammals covered in scales made up of keratin, which provide protection against predators. They are predominantly nocturnal and also shy, making them difficult to study. There are 8 species of pangolin, 4 are found in Asia and 4 are found in Africa. All species are listed Appendix I by CITES, the same level of protection as Rhinoceros which bans the international trade for commercial purpose. Pangolin are trafficked at high rates for their scales, body parts, and meat.  They are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine similarly to Rhino horn, despite there being no scientific proof of any medical significance.  Traditionally, there has been local utilization within Africa across different cultural groups for sustenance, medicinal, or spiritual purposes.  However, this never put heavy pressure on pangolin populations.  Now Asian pangolin species are becoming scarce, the market has turned to Africa to fill the gap. Human created problems such as habitat fragmentation and loss, reduce the area which pangolin can inhabit and also increase human-caused mortalities such as Death on electric fencing, Road accidents and Gin traps. Due to their elusive behavior, very little is known about their ecology, which makes it difficult to develop conservation management plans. In the Njising-Tabenken Forest, the endangered white Bellied (Tree Pangolin)-Phataginus tricuspid has been discovered. SURUDEV shall be commemorating World Pangolin come Saturday 16th of February 2025 with the local hunters and farmers in the Binka end of the forest together with some officials of the Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife for Donga Mantung Division in the Bamenda highlands. Commemorative activities shall include: Film projection about the species, strengthening of the 2024 forestry law, educative talks to benefit the species.

 

 



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