Police seize 244 kilograms of pangolin scales in FY 2023/24
KATHMANDU, March 8: Did you know the most trafficked animal in the world is the very mammal most trafficked out of Nepal?
According to a 2019 report from the African Wildlife Foundation, as much as 2.7 million pangolins are poached annually across the world. In Nepal, police seized over 244 kilograms of pangolin scales in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24.
Because they are primarily nocturnal, rarely produce vocal sounds and are relatively small in size, pangolins often go unnoticed by human communities across the world. Nepal is no exception.
While efforts from the government, non-governmental organizations and all the other stakeholders have been able to curb the illegal trafficking of big mammals such as tigers, elephants and rhinos, poachers and traffickers have been continuously supplying pangolins from Nepal for the past few years.
Two species of pangolins are found in Nepal: Indian pangolin and Chinese pangolin. While the Indian pangolin is an endangered species, the Chinese pangolin has been critically endangered since 2019. Both of the species of pangolins are hunted in Nepal and their scales and meat are supplied to markets in China and Vietnam.
Pangolin scales are used for traditional medicine in parts of China for treating ailments such as rheumatism, skin conditions, inflammation and even cancer. However, there is no scientific basis for the use of the animal part in such medicine. The scales are also used for ornamental and ritualistic processes. The meat of the endangered species is also considered a delicacy in countries such as China and Vietnam.
In an ironic turn of events, police arrested two individuals in possession of pangolin scales on the eve of the World Wildlife Day 2025.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of police officials deployed from the Police Circle, Balaju, arrested Umesh Tamang, 29, of Chuichumpa Rural Municipality-2, Khotang, currently residing in Jorpati, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-6 and Mohan Pulami Magar, 30, of Tinpatan Rural Municipality-6, Sindhuli, currently residing in Tarkeshwar Municipality-7, in possession of 770 grams of pangolin scales.
According to SP Apil Raj Bohara, spokesperson of the Kathmandu Police Range (DPR), the duo were arrested at 4 pm on Sunday from KMC-16, Machhapokari on the basis of a tip-off that illegal trade of pangolin scales was taking place at the location. He added that the arrested individuals were handed to the Division Forest Office, Kathmandu for necessary action.
Sunday’s animal trafficking bust was miniscule as compared to previous cases where the endangered species was found to be trafficked from Nepal. A team of officials from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (KVCIO) arrested four individuals from Gokarneshwor Municipality-5, in possession of about 8.5 kilograms of pangolin scales merely thirteen days ago (on February 22).
Pangolin scales trafficking on the rise
There has been a significant amount of trafficking of the endangered species across the country for years now. According to the data maintained by the Nepal Police Headquarter, police seized a total of 244.877 kilograms of pangolin scales across the country in the fiscal year 2023/24. This marks an increase of 28 percent from the 191.29 kilograms of pangolin scales seized in fiscal year 2022/23.
The largest jump in the amount of pangolin scales seized in a fiscal year took place in fiscal year 2021/22 when the amount of the endangered species increased by 738 percent from 11.97 kilograms of pangolin scales trafficked in fiscal year 2020/21 to 100.36 kilograms seized in fiscal year 2021/22.
Spokesperson for the Nepal Police Headquarter Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dinesh Kumar Acharya claimed that the sharp increase in the confiscation of the illegally trafficked endangered animal in fiscal year 2021/22 is the increased police vigilance after the Chinese pangolins were declared critically endangered. He said that the consistent increase in the trafficking of the endangered species has drawn the attention of the police organization.
“Currently, we have specialized unit in the Central Investigation Bureau to control crimes related to wildlife,” DIG Acharya said, “CIB’s Environmental Crime pillar, also known as Pillar IV, is the only specialized unit across all the security agencies in the country that focuses on controlling poaching and illegal wildlife trade.”
Spokesperson of the CIB SP Sudhir Raj Shahi told Republica that the poaching and trafficking of wildlife in Nepal has decreased significantly over the years, however, the trafficking of Pangolin, in particular, has grown significantly over the years.
“Of the wild animals poached and trafficked significantly over the years, the poaching of tiger and elephant have become minimal,” he said, “Currently, poaching and trafficking of pangolins has gained prominence in Nepali poachers and traffickers.”
Ecological effects of the shrinking number of Pangolins
Environmental scientists maintain that every organism, irrespective of its size or its aesthetic value, has the right to sustain on earth.
“Every organism has a set of speciality and importance which contribute to the functioning of the ecosystem,” Environmental scientist Dr Kamal Raj Gosai told Republica, “The fact that they exist is proof enough that they have the right to live.”
He emphasized the need for conservation of the dwindling Pangolin population in Nepal, highlighting the adverse ecological effects of the decrease in the number of the small mammal.
“The decrease in the number of pangolin impacts the food web as it contributes to an increase in the population of its prey such as termites, ants and other insects; and the the decrease in the number of its predators leopards and tigers as they lose a food source,” Dr. Gosai said, “The increase in the population of insects will then affect the health of plants as well.”
He lamented the global trend of only focusing on larger mammals such as tigers and elephants when it comes to curbing poaching and illegal trade of wildlife.
“Perhaps, the authorities have not paid attention to the poaching of pangolins because they are not beautiful and are not active during the day, thereby losing value in tourism as well,” Dr Gosai said, “We need policies targeting the conservation of small mammals too.”