Shillong (Meghalaya), June 26: A Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin and an injured Asian Palm Civet are back in the forests of Meghalaya after weeks of care, with wildlife officials releasing both into Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary on Wednesday.
The pangolin was rescued by Nongpoh Wildlife Range staff near Jiva Restaurant on NH 6, Nongpoh, while the civet was found badly hurt in the Jaintia Hills. Both were treated at Meghalaya State Zoo and cleared by veterinary experts before release.
The joint operation by Meghalaya State Zoo and Nongpoh Wildlife Range was carried out in the presence of Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) P.K. Agrahari and Zoo Director Pavan Khade. Agrahari said the Chinese Pangolin, protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, faces severe threats from illegal trade and habitat loss. He asked people to report distressed wild animals so they can be rescued and rehabilitated.
Officials stressed the ecological stakes. Pangolins keep termite and ant populations in check, protecting forests and crops, while palm civets disperse seeds and help regenerate degraded forests. Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammals, making up nearly 20% of the global illegal wildlife trade. An estimated one million were poached globally in the past decade. Meghalaya’s Forest Department has logged seven pangolin smuggling cases in five years.
The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly has flagged rampant poaching of Chinese Pangolins in Garo Hills, linking it to ant infestations and crop damage as natural pest control collapses.
