Critically Endangered Indian Pangolin Rescued Near Line of Control in J&K

JAMMU, INDIA - A critically endangered Indian Pangolin was successfully rescued by the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Department from a forest area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district on Thursday, officials announced.

The Indian Pangolin, categorised as Schedule-I under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and a critically endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, is highly sought after in the grey market due to its valuable hard body scales.

The rescue operation was carried out by Wildlife Protection Department officials in the Sunderbani area near the LoC. Wildlife Warden, Rajouri-Poonch range, Amit Sharma, praised the Indian Army for their support in this endeavour, saying it was a "significant milestone" for the region and added value to the biodiversity of the Rajouri-Poonch Wildlife Division.

The Jammu and Kashmir state has faced decades of separatist violence and habitat destruction, leading to significant loss of forest wealth. Timber smugglers often collaborated with terrorists to plunder forests, resulting in substantial damage to flora and fauna. In areas heavily infested by terrorism, migratory birds began avoiding the water bodies of Kashmir during peak terror years due to rampant poaching.

However, as terrorism subsided and administration authority was re-established, avian visitors started returning to their winter homes in large numbers. The recent rescue operation marks a positive step towards conservation efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.