Nagaland’s Sangtam community passed resolution to protect pangolins

In a major conservation move, the apex body of Nagaland’s Sangtam community, United Sangtam Likhum Pumji, has passed a resolution to protect pangolins within its jurisdiction, marking a significant step against wildlife trafficking along the India-Myanmar border.

Key Highlights

• The Sangtam community is largely concentrated in Kiphire and Tuensang, districts bordering Myanmar, a major trafficking route for pangolins.
• Conservationists have hailed the resolution as a breakthrough under the Countering Pangolin Trafficking Project led by Wildlife Trust of India with support from the Pangolin Crisis Fund.
• The project, initially launched in Manipur in 2023, has been expanded to Nagaland to curb illegal wildlife trade.

Why Pangolins Are Targeted

Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked wild mammals, hunted for:

• Scales used in traditional medicine.
• Meat considered a luxury delicacy in parts of Asia and Africa.

Two species found in India are:

• Indian Pangolin
• Chinese Pangolin

About Pangolins

• Solitary and mostly nocturnal animals.
• Covered in protective keratin scales.
• Feed mainly on ants and termites, hence called “scaly anteaters.”
• Eight species exist worldwide, recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and all are protected under international trade bans.

Significance

The resolution is crucial because a large share of pangolins from northeastern India are trafficked along the 1,643-km India-Myanmar border, a known wildlife smuggling corridor. Community-led conservation efforts like this are seen as key to protecting endangered species in sensitive border landscapes.

Source: TH