Protected pangolins continue to be rescued and smuggled, says researcher

 By Olivia Miwil - February 18, 2022 @ 11:38am

Sabah Wildlife deputy director II Roland O Niun addressing participants at the recent pangolin rescue training workshop. - Picture courtesy of LEAP.

KOTA KINABALU: Although Sunda pangolins are a totally protected species in Sabah, the authorities keep rescuing the animals, including from smugglers.

Pangolin researcher, Elisa Panjang said last year, the Sabah Wildlife Department and Wildlife Rescue Units (WRU) received 40 pangolins from non-government organisations (NGO) and the public.

"The significant proportion of pangolins have been found in human-impacted areas such as agricultural land including oil palm plantations, and developed areas such as housing areas in towns.

"However, as more people contact and surrender pangolins to the authorities, increased awareness also plays an important role (for authorities to rescue the animal)," she told the New Straits Times.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and limited logistics, the conservation officer for Danau Girang Field Centre said the smuggling of pangolins was still happening.

"Most thought such cases would reduce. However, wildlife smuggling and trafficking activities continue as we see in other countries such as Nigeria.

"Just recently, pangolin scales were seized by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation," she said.

In a separate statement, the Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP) in partnership with the Sabah Wildlife Department and Elisa recently held a 'Capacity Building and Formulation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) workshop for Pangolin Rescue and Confiscation in Sabah' at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near here.

The event brought together 'frontliners' from the Sabah Wildlife Department headquarters and district offices throughout Sabah, veterinarians and rangers from Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the WRU, field staff from Sabah Forestry Department.

Representatives from the Sabah Foundation and wildlife NGOs including WWF Malaysia, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, 1StopBorneo Wildlife and Panthera were also present.

"This is the first time relevant stakeholders together from all over Sabah came together to learn about pangolins and discuss how to strengthen pangolin rescue operations conducted by government agencies and NGOs.

"This is an important step in improving the conservation of our pangolins," said Said Sylvia Yorath from LEAP.