BHUBANESWAR: The flora and fauna wing of the woodland division on Tuesday mentioned no less than 5 individuals had been curious about killing the pangolins whose scales had been seized from one Samsuddin Khan on Monday.
Khan, a provider of flora and fauna portions, was on his technique to Puri with 5 kilograms of pangolin scales when he was arrested. "He told us that the scales had been extracted from the animals at least six months ago. It would have needed at least three or four pangolins to extract five kilogram of scales," mentioned a senior woodland officer.
According to the woodland officers who interrogated Khan, the pangolins had been killed via tribal males in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. Pangolins are found within the hilly forests of these two districts, besides Koraput and Mayurbhanj. Khan got the scales from middlemen who, in turn, got them from the poachers.
"The scales are in demand in the international market, especially in China and south-east Asian countries, because of their use in traditional medicine. Khan's work would have ended after delivering the scales to traders in Puri. He couldn't say whether the scales were to be smuggled out of the country," mentioned the senior officer.
The flora and fauna division has introduced a hunt for the killers of the pangolins. "We know their names and addresses but we can't disclose them now," mentioned divisional woodland officer (Mahanadi flora and fauna division) Anshu Pragyan Das. She mentioned a pangolin lived for around 20 years and produced a single offspring. "The animal is on the verge of extinction. In the deep forests of the state, they fall prey to tribals who kill them with daggers or gather the scales of pangolins killed via wild animals.
Pangolin scales are polished after soaking in scorching water to make other types of ornaments. Each scale is sold for Rs 800 to Rs 2,000.
Khan, a provider of flora and fauna portions, was on his technique to Puri with 5 kilograms of pangolin scales when he was arrested. "He told us that the scales had been extracted from the animals at least six months ago. It would have needed at least three or four pangolins to extract five kilogram of scales," mentioned a senior woodland officer.
According to the woodland officers who interrogated Khan, the pangolins had been killed via tribal males in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. Pangolins are found within the hilly forests of these two districts, besides Koraput and Mayurbhanj. Khan got the scales from middlemen who, in turn, got them from the poachers.
"The scales are in demand in the international market, especially in China and south-east Asian countries, because of their use in traditional medicine. Khan's work would have ended after delivering the scales to traders in Puri. He couldn't say whether the scales were to be smuggled out of the country," mentioned the senior officer.
The flora and fauna division has introduced a hunt for the killers of the pangolins. "We know their names and addresses but we can't disclose them now," mentioned divisional woodland officer (Mahanadi flora and fauna division) Anshu Pragyan Das. She mentioned a pangolin lived for around 20 years and produced a single offspring. "The animal is on the verge of extinction. In the deep forests of the state, they fall prey to tribals who kill them with daggers or gather the scales of pangolins killed via wild animals.
Pangolin scales are polished after soaking in scorching water to make other types of ornaments. Each scale is sold for Rs 800 to Rs 2,000.
Government launches hunt for pangolin killers
![Government launches hunt for pangolin killers]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 21, 2018
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