Drive launched to save pangolins from extinction

Environment protection department bans hunting

RAWALPINDI:

The Punjab environment protection department has launched a new awareness campaign to protect the endangered pangolin species in the Potohar and Salt ranges.

According to a statement, the department has also imposed a ban on hunting and trafficking of the pangolins and has announced to facilitate farmers in breeding the endangered species.

The pangolin, a human-friendly animal with a physical structure larger than that of a mongoose, is known to protect itself from predators with its hard body scales.

In the Potohar region, the pangolin is also referred to as an anteater. It feeds on insects such as ants and grasshoppers that damage crops, fruits and flowering plants.

The statement further said the species is found in large numbers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, the Salt Range, Peshawar, Mardan, and Kohat.

It lives in tunnels and has a tongue that is almost one foot in length.

Moreover, the meat of the pangolin is consumed in China, Vietnam, and Laos, while its tough scales, blood, and sharp nails are used to make special medicines, sharp instruments, and artificial jewelry.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2022.