HEAL Initiates a Project on the Indian Pangolin in Purulia District

19 November 2024

HEAL’s Aditya Banerjee and Vasudha Mishra conducting an interview with locals

HEAL has initiated a project, supported by the Duleep Matthai Trust, to assess the conservation status and threats to pangolins in Purulia, West Bengal.

Though Purulia is not a protected area, its forest patches in Jhalda and Bagmundi have recorded pangolin presence. But where there are pangolins, there are also possible threats.

Currently, we are conducting interview surveys with local communities to gather crucial information about:

1. Local sightings and decadal population trends of pangolins

2. Threats such as habitat loss and hunting practices

3. The potential links between local hunting practices and wildlife trafficking.

Additionally, we aim to study habitat use intensity using an occupancy framework and gain insights into their natural history and ecology by deploying camera traps.

This exploratory study will provide us with a baseline of how Purulia’s pangolins are faring and what steps need to be taken to address the threats they face.

Stay tuned for more updates as we uncover key insights!