GUWAHATI: Conservationists in Assam’s Raimona National Park (RNP) have captured the first-ever photographic evidence of the critically endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). The species was recorded as part of an ongoing collaborative study aimed at boosting conservation efforts in the region.
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The findings, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, a partnership between the Kachugaon Forest Division, the Assam Forest Department, and Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organisation. Other conservation groups also contributed to this landmark discovery.
Dipankar Lahkar, the lead author of the study and senior conservation biologist at Aaranyak, emphasised the significance of the discovery. “This study also resolves a long-standing confusion regarding the presence of the Indian pangolin in Assam and Northeast India, which could lead to updates on the IUCN Red List distribution map,” he stated.
The Chinese pangolin, listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, remains one of the world’s most trafficked mammals. Known for its nocturnal, solitary habits, the pangolin faces severe threats from poaching and habitat destruction. Although it is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and included in Appendix I of CITES, illegal hunting for meat, body parts, and traditional medicine continues to endanger its population.
Bhanu Sinha, Divisional Forest Officer at RNP, expressed hope that the discovery would inspire further conservation initiatives. “This finding reinforces the conservation spirit in Raimona and will pave the way for more important discoveries. It highlights the value of sustained research and monitoring in enhancing conservation efforts,” he said.
The study confirms that both the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and the Chinese pangolin are found in India. The latter's range extends through several Asian nations, including Bhutan and Nepal, with a primary distribution in the foothills of the Himalayas and parts of Northeast India.
Camera-trap surveys conducted by the RNP authority in collaboration with Aaranyak since 2019 were instrumental in the discovery. In 2022, a 1,470 trap-day survey resulted in three photographic captures of the Chinese pangolin in January and February, within the park’s semi-evergreen forests.
M Firoz Ahmed, senior scientist at Aaranyak, highlighted the importance of the discovery. “This is the first confirmed photographic evidence of the Chinese pangolin in Raimona National Park. The images were captured in semi-deciduous forests dominated by Sal trees, near a dry stream bed along the Ranganadi River,” he said.
Established in 2021, Raimona National Park covers 422 km² and is part of the transboundary Manas Conservation Area, which links India and Bhutan. Despite challenges such as ethnopolitical conflicts, the park is gradually becoming a key conservation hub for the region’s rich biodiversity.
