Now Reading: Pangolin rescued from Odisha government building, three arrested
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Pangolin rescued from Odisha government building, three arrested
Forest officials in Odisha and Chhattisgarh rescued an endangered pangolin from a government irrigation building in Nuapada district on Monday and arrested three men accused of trafficking the animal.
Forest officials in Odisha and Chhattisgarh rescued an endangered pangolin from a government irrigation building in Nuapada district on Monday and arrested three men accused of trafficking the animal.
The pangolin, weighing about 7 kg, had been caught on August 9 and was being held for sale. The suspects were using the building as a safe house while searching for a buyer. A joint team from Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh and Khariar forest division in Odisha conducted the operation based on a tip-off.
The rescued pangolin is under veterinary care in Khariar. A case has been registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The poachers who caught the animal are still absconding.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Udanti-Sitanadi-Sonabeda corridor is one of central India's key wildlife passages, used by tigers, leopards and elephants. Pangolin poaching here threatens a species already listed as Schedule I under the Wildlife Act, the same protection level as tigers. Cross-state trafficking is common because poachers exploit the jurisdictional gap between Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the joint rescue shows both forest departments are now coordinating patrols. The three accused face up to seven years in prison if convicted. The corridor's health will be tested by whether the fleeing poachers are caught and whether the irrigation structure used as a hideout remains monitored.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
