Baby pangolin rescued, one held in Odisha’s Koraput

Jeypore: A special team of Forest personnel rescued a baby pangolin and arrested one person for allegedly trying to sell the wild animal in Odisha’s Koraput district today.

Upon getting information from Vigilance Department that a live pangolin was available for sell in Dandabadi village of Kathargada section of Borigumma range, a special team of Forest personnel of Jeypore division was formed. As per the plan, an employee of the Forest department contacted the pangolin seller while identifying himself as a buyer. The special team covertly waited at a pre-decided place and nabbed the seller when the Forest employee was negotiating with him to buy the pangolin.

The Forest personnel seized a baby pangolin weighing about 1.7 KG from the seller Dama Gouda of Champapadar village. Gouda was arrested on charges of selling the wild animal.

A thorough investigation is on about the source of capture, chains of custody and onward transmission chain of buyers, a Forest official said.