The arrest of three poachers with their kill near Jamgaon village within the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary limits of Khanapur taluk recently, is evidence to continued poaching of the animal for its protective keratin scales covering its skin.

On Saturday, Forest officials arrested the poachers, identified as Narayan GangaramNikam, Mohan ShivajiNikam and Amol Mohan Pawar, all three residents of Gunji, Khanapur taluk, and seized a dead pangolin and scales of another pangolin, besides bows and arrows used to hunt the animal.

The accused are said to belong to a nomadic tribal community called MangyaMaari, known for hunting langur and other small animals in and around the forests of Khanapur.

This case of pangolin kill is 17th such incident coming to the notice of the Forest Department since August 2010, says wildlife activist Giridhar Kulkarni, who is keeping track of death of animals in accidents and also those hunted down by poachers in Belagavi district.

Pangolin poaching by organised gangs, with the help of locals in the State, especially in Joida, Haliyal, Sirsi, Yellapur and other parts in Uttara Kannada districts apart from Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi districts, is rampant.

Mr. Kulkarni said that an adult pangolin has 3.5 kg to 4 kg of scales, with each kilogram fetching as much as Rs. 2 lakh in the international market.

But, traders buy it for a meagre Rs. 5,000 a kg to Rs. 12,000 a kg from local poachers.

Conservation threats

Pangolins are poached for meat and armour. Of the eight species found in the world, Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata ) is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Pangolins are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Pangolins are hunted and eaten in many parts of Africa. They are also in great demand in Southern China and Vietnam because their meat is considered a delicacy and some believe that pangolin scales have medicinal qualities, Mr. Kulkarni said.