TRACKING THE SCALY ANTEATERS: STATUS SURVEY OF CHINESE PANGOLIN IN MANAS

BIOSPHERE RESERVE, ASSAM, INDIA (Half yearly report, October 2015)

10/31/2015

Submitted by-

Kuladip Sarma (PI), Anjan Sangma & Bhrigu P. Saikia

Submitted to-

Background:

Manis pentadactyla is known to occur in the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, Bhutan and

northern India, possibly Bangladesh, across Myanmar to northern Indo-China, and through

southern China (south of the Chaiangjiang) to Hainan and Taiwan (IUCN 1996; WCMC et. al.

1999). Recently, due to high rate decline throughout its range, the species has been categorised

as critically endangered in IUCN Read List. However, the occurrence and distribution range of

the species in India is yet to be explored systematically. Although the species has been included

in the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; also included under Appendix II

of CITES with zero export quota for commercial trade, there is urgent need of systematic status

surveys for the species in various pockets of India. The species has been experiencing major

anthropogenic threats in terms of local trade and hunting especially in the western part of the

state of Assam, India. These areas are along the southern boundary of the Manas Biosphere

Reserve. Hence, it is necessary to know the distribution of the pangolin, and its status and threats

in the Manas Biosphere Reserve. This will help develop strategies to address the growing threats

to the species.

On these backdrops the proposed project aimed to address the following major

objectives-

I. To determine occupancy in different habitat types in Manas Biosphere Reserve so that

habitat preference of the species can be known (and hence identify priority areas for

protection);

II. To understand more about precise nature and magnitude of threats to pangolins in the

reserve; and

III. To develop conservation recommendations for enhancing protection of pangolins in

the reserve.

Study area:

This study aimed to identify the major threats to Chinese Pangolin and its precise nature

in Manas Bioshere Reserve. Manas Biosphere Reserve is situated at 25°45′–26°50′N latitude and

90°30′–91°26′E longitude covering an area of 2,840 km2 in the western part of Assam, India.

Results:

In addressing the second objective of understanding the nature and magnitude of threats

on Chinese Pangolin in the study arae, semi-structured questionnaire survey and key informant

survey was conducted to assess the existing threats on the species in term of local tratde and

medicinal uses during May to September, 2015. A total of thirteen (30) villages in the west and

south east boundary of Manas National Park have been surveyed till date and and data collected

from 160 respondents of 13 villages were analysed were interview till date te preparation of this

report. Respondents were of diffrent age classes and there were at least 10 respondent from each

villages. The species has been least seen by most of the respondents in the last 10 years (43.7%).

Most of the respondent of age class 18-24 years never saw a pangolin (82.5%) in the area which

depict the population decline of the spcies. The species is mostly hunted in accidental encouter

(23.5%) as the species is hard to locate in their burrows. 49% of the respondents has ate the meat

of the spcies through direct or indirect sources. Moreover, low percentage of respondents were

agreed to the medicinal use of the species (21.2%) and claimed that they did not know about the

medicinal use of the species (78.8%). Scales were the most used body parts for traditional

medicine (58.8%) especially for exceesive saliva secretion in children. Most of the respondents

who knows about Chinese pangolin (66.2%) also commented on the burrows of the species.

Furthermore, local hunters (6.8% of the total respondents) argued that the species is harder to

find in comparison to early days. 9 out of 11 local hunters (81.8%) agreed to this result. Thus, it

was evident from the present study that Chinese Pangolin population is declining and its major

threats were identified as accidental encounter with human which might be due to habitat loss

and hunting of the animal for bushmeat in the Manas Bioshere Reserve.

However, the natural history of the animal is little known, it is difficult to gather

information on occupancy. There is no information on home range and density of the species

which mke it difficult to determine the grid cell size for occupancy survey. Therefore, designing

appropriate study of the species is necessary to get accurate and logical information. Discussing

the matter with experts of occupancy modeling, we come to the conclusion that the standard grid

cell size should be 1 km2. Another major problem regarding occupancy modeling is finding the

relevant sign (earlier it was thought to be Burrows). As burrows are the discrete structures and

there is a probability of getting the same burrow at each visit to the grid, with the reconnaissance

survey we will try to find some other potential signs which vary in time scale. Another major

disadvantage of considering burrows is all burrows are not active i.e. the animal may left the

burrow in due course.

So, we have started reconnaissance survey in the month of September. Pangolin burrows

identified with the help of local people/hunter is being observed to get minute details of the

animal. Also, four camera traps have been installed in that location to confirm the burrow

whether it is of Chinese Pangolin or not as it is very difficult to distinguish burrows of other

burrowing animals. Once the burrow characteristics are found, other potential signs in and

around burrows will be found out so that that can be used in occupancy survey.

Abstract accepted in SCCS, Beijing which will be held from 7th

November, 2015:

Boro, B.K. & Sarma, K. (2015). Identifying threats of Scaly Anteaters: Knowledge and attitude

of local people about Chinese Pangolin in India’s Manas Biosphere Reserve, Abstract accepted

in SCCS, Beijing which will be held from 7th

November, 2015.

Additional information:

Some rescued/encountered pangolin in last 10 years in Assam including Manas Biosphere

Reserve. Photographs and information were collected from personal communication and

social media.

Photographs/News article Location information/ Source

Manas Biosphere Reseve, 2015

Animals are captured by local

people when encountered in open

areas in the country side.

Source: Social media/Personal

communication

Photo: Rustom Basumatary

Digboi, Assam 2014

Rescued and released by Rajib

Rudra Tariang.

News published in Telegraph

(Northeast) on 06/06/2014

Rescued & released in Bhogpur,

Assam 2013

Rescued by Tapu Nath, a

conservation leader.

Photo: Tapu Nath

Two held with pangolin skin worth Rs 9 lakh

Silchar, Oct 23 (IANS): Two people were arrested here with

144 kg of pangolin skin worth Rs 87 lakh that was being

smuggled to China via Myanmar, custom officials said on

Saturday. "Five bags of the skin were recovered on Friday

night from a Guwahati-Aizawl passenger bus," Customs

Superintendent Sudip Kumar Datta told reporters here. The

customs officials found the contraband from the bus bound

for Mizoram capital Aizawl at Sonabari Ghat in southern

Assam, 400 km south of Assam's main city of Guwahati. The

detainees -- Lalengliana, 44 and Malneichauna, 41 -- said

they were residents of Mizoram, Datta said. The skin was

brought from southern Indian States to be smuggled to China

via Myanmar, which shares a 404-km unfenced border with

Mizoram. Custom officials also recovered 21,100 kyat

(Myanmarese currencies) from the two. They were produced

before a local court here on Saturday and sent to jail for

seven days. "Charges would be framed against the two under

the Wildlife Protection Act 1972," the official said.

According to wildlife experts, pangolins and their skin are in

great demand in China because their meat is considered a

delicacy and pangolin skin is also being used in the

traditional medicines in China.

News Published in Assam Tribune,

2011, A leading daily news paper

published from Guwahati, Assam

The Arunachal Times, 22-04-2010

Chinese Pangolin wanders into NERIST

ITANAGAR, Apr 21: A Chinese Pangolin (Manis

pentadactyla) was rescued on April 16th at 12:30 AM from

nearby New Degree Technology Block, North Eastern

Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST),

Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh by Rai Taning, a security guard

of NERIST, while doing night duty. One of his neighbours

Bijit Basumatre, Lab Assistant, informed Dr. Awadhesh

Kumar, Assistant Professor in Wildlife conservation,

Department of Forestry, NERIST at morning. Dr. Kumar

visited Rai Taning’s residence and identified the species as

Chinese Pangolin (sub-adult male), one of the endangered

small burrowing mammal species. Animal weighted 1.80 kg

and measured 2 feet in length. This species is locally known

as Sachik (Nyishi). Dr. Kumar stated that Chinese pangolin

is marked by large, hardened, plate-like scales. The scales are

soft on newborn pangolins but get harden as the animal

matures. These scales are made of keratin, the same material

of which human fingernails and tetrapod claws are made of.

The pangolin is often compared to a walking pine or globe

artichoke. It can curl up into a ball when threatened, with its

overlapping scales acting as armour and its face tucked under

its tail. The scales are razor-sharp, providing extra defence.

The front claws are so long that they are unsuitable for

walking, and so the animal walks with its fore paws curled

over to protect them. Pangolin can also emit a noxious

smelling acid from glands near the anus, similar to the spray

of a skunk. It has short legs, with sharp claws which they use

for burrowing into termite and ant mounds, as well as

climbing. Chinese pangolins are solitary and nocturnal. They

climb trees and swim well. The species is globally distributed

in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, northeast India), Lao PDR,

northern Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, northern Thailand, and

northern Vietnam. They found in a range of different

habitats, including primary and secondary forests, bamboo

forests, grasslands and agricultural fields.

News published in The Arunachal

Times, a daily news paper

published from Itanagar,

Arunachal Pradesh. 2010

The Animal is rescued and released

in NERIST campus by Dr.

Awadhesh Kumar.

Barak Valley, Assam 2006

Rescued & released by Kripal

Jyouti Mazumdar and Rakesh

Saud

Photo: Kripal Jyoti Mazumdar

Barak Valley, Assam 2006

Rescued & released by Kripal

Jyouti Mazumdar and Rakesh

Saud

Photo: Rakesh Saud