Asian Pangolins are a highly-threatened species group, mainly due to the perceived medicinal value of their scales. Almost everything we know about pangolins in Bangladesh is based on anecdotal information; there is no published information available on the distribution and current status of pangolins in Bangladesh. Without this baseline information, effective conservation and management plans would be impossible to formulate.
With funding assistance from Rufford Small Grants and the surveying prowess of our parabiologists from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, we’re conducting the first surveys for the critically endangered pangolins in Bangladesh.
Our wildlife biologist Animesh Ghose leads this initiative to assess the distribution and status of pangolins in Bangladesh. Are Indian pangolins persisting in Bangladesh? Where do Chinese pangolins still occur? And what are the main threats to their existence in these human-modified landscapes? With any luck, we’ll soon answer these questions and more.
Objectives of the Study
To obtain information, employing traditional ecological knowledge, on the current status and distribution of pangolins in Bangladesh as well as identifying threats to pangolin survival
To create employment opportunities for indigenous people recruited to protect pangolins around the local communities for years to come
To distribute educational materials such as posters and pamphlets in the study sites to promote awareness
To leverage preliminary results in order to attract additional funding for long-term research
To develop management recommendations aiding the preservation of Pangolins and their habitats