Re-assessing the status and distribution of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Pothwar Plateau, Punjab, Pakistan

The current study was carried out to re-asses the population status and to determine the distribution of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in the Pothwar Plateau, Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, a field surveys were conducted from September 2018 till July 2019. The data on distribution of the species were collected by recording direct (field sightings) and indirect signs (like burrows, fecal matter etc.). There were numerous old burrows, indicating a previous abundance of Indian pangolin in the study area. The Indian pangolin is still found in all four districts of the Pothwar Plateau, according to our findings. In Attock district, the highest density of Indian pangolins was reported. The average species density was calculated to be 1.01 individuals/km2 in the study area. The Indian pangolin is the only pangolin species recorded in Pakistan and is likely the least studied of all Asiatic pangolin species. Concerns over the Indian pangolin’s population loss due to poaching and trade have prompted a move to add the species to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). However, a fundamental constraint in the conservation of the Indian Pangolin is a lack of reliable and complete scientific information on its behavior, ecology, and risks to its existence. Therefore, the government and concerned organizations must identify basic research practices and awareness programs for the better conservation planning of the species. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES