ANIMESH GHOSEWildlife Biologist, Creative Conservation Alliance

Member, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

www.conservationalliance.org

2889 people/square mile

Ranked 10th in terms of population density

17.49% Forest Land7.75% Tree Coverage

I am From………..

Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserve Forest

Myanmar

Myanmar

2004

2016

Field survey to document hunting techniques

Major Findings

173

Hunting Techniques

13

Hunters

Major Findings

Sun Bear

Great Hornbill Asian Giant Tortoise

Building Partnership

Parabiologist Program

4Parabiologists

Parabiologist Program

37

4619

50Major Findings

6Threatened Category

IUCN Red List

5%

37

4619

50Major Findings

Asian Elephant Sun Bear Leopard

Clouded Leopard Gaur Binturong

Large Indian Civet Marbled Cat Asiatic Wild Dog

More than one million Pangolins have been illegally traded within Asia in last 10 years

5 Tons of Frozen Pangolin seized in Indonesia (2015)

AFRICAN PANGOLIN ASIAN PANGOLIN

WHAT IS A PANGOLIN??

What is a Pangolin??

-Scaly Anteater-No comprehensive survey-Knowledge based on anecdotal information

No comprehensive survey

Knowledge based on anecdotal informationCan consume more

than 70 million insects annually

Pangolins in context of Bangladesh

Burrow is used by other animal , like: tortoise, snakes, lizards, Civets etc.

11 Forest Sites

8 Protected Areas3 Forest Reserves

Methods

Active field search methods following

the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and standard methods

Interview survey with forest villagers, local hunters, Forest Department officials

Online search

Challenges we faced

Nocturnal, elusive animal

Rare in wild

Limitation with Conventional method to survey

Active field Search using Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Highly skilled in locating signs of pangolins (e.g. burrows, tracks, and foraging burrow)

From Hunter to Pangolin Guardian

Pangolin Documented

No Pangolin Documented

Findings

Documented presence of the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin in 8 forest areas

WHAT’s NEXT?

Way Forward

10Parabiologists

- Extend the parabiologist program in all villages of Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserved Forest

- Conserve the traditional ecological knowledge by employing more hunters into our parabiologist program

Way Forward

THANK YOU