Forest officials rescue pangolin from smugglers in Kadapa district

Forest officials in Kadapa district rescue critically endangered pangolin from illegal trafficking, leading to arrests and vehicle seizures.

Forest officials of Kadapa district swooped down on five persons and recovered a live pangolin, which is a critically endangered species.

The accused persons were identified as Ragi Srinivas, Ponnaiahgari Penchalaiah, Lekka Sivakumar Reddy, Manchala Venkatadri and Omkaram. Forest officials said the group caught a pangolin in the Udayagiri forests of adjoining Nellore district, and were transporting the animal to Nakkakonda forest in Badvel where they wanted to sell it to prospective buyers for a large sum of money.

“The critically endangered animal is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Hence, capturing and selling the animal is explicitly prohibited. Acting on a tip-off, our people nabbed the accused and rescued the pangolin,” Kadapa District Forest Officer Vineet Kumar told the media on Wednesday.

Pangolins are used in Chinese traditional medicine, as well as an exotic cuisine abroad, and as such, they are in high demand. “The captured animals are illegally trafficked live to China, for which the smugglers are generously paid,” Mr. Kumar said.

The sleuths also seized an auto-rickshaw and two motorcycles used by the accused for smuggling the animal.