Repeated seizures lately of huge quantities of pangolin scales indicate that this protected animal is in danger of becoming extinct from the country. In the biggest haul so far, police on Saturday seized 80 kg of pangolin scales that were about to be smuggled to China. The scales were found in two sacs recovered from a bus bound for Fuklingkot VDC in Sindhupalchok district. Police arrested driver Naryan Thapa and his help Pashang Tamang for further investigations. [break]
Saturday´s seizure was the 12th in the last two years during which period police recovered 252 kg of pangolin scales. Four to five pangolins are needed to extract one kg of scales.
Two years ago, a Chinese national was arrested at Barabise with 46 kg of pangolin scales from a bus bound for the border. Similarly, only some 10 days ago, police arrested three people carrying 9 kg of pangolin scales. They were in a bus ( BA 2 Kha 6947) bound for Tatopani. The Chinese smuggler was convicted and is serving a 15-year jail term, but the pangolin scales are said to be missing.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Pratap Kumar Gurung, smugglers have been devising new techniques and routes to hoodwink security. “After we started rigorously checking vehicles along Araniko Highway, smugglers were found using bus routes through remote villages in the district,” DSP Gurung said.
As per the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029 (1973), pangolin is one of the protected wildlife mammals and hunt it is prohibited. According to the Act, those involved in the illegal pangolin trade can be fined Rs 50,000 to 100,000 or jailed for five to 15 years or both.
The long-tailed, scale-covered mammal with a long snout and sticky tongue eats mainly insects such as termites and ants and is to be found up to an altitude of 3,000 meters.
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