Pangolin distribution and conservation status in Bangladesh

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Conservation Biology
• Wildlife Management

Background:

• Asian pangolins face severe threats, primarily from illegal trade driven by demand for their scales in traditional medicine.
• Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals globally, with three species historically reported in Bangladesh: Manis pentadactyla, Manis crassicaudata, and Manis javanica.
• Existing research on pangolin distribution and status in Bangladesh is scarce, with conflicting reports and misidentified records.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the distribution and current status of pangolin species within Bangladesh.
• To investigate the ethnozoological knowledge of pangolins, particularly Manis pentadactyla, among local communities.
• To provide baseline data for future conservation efforts in Bangladesh.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted to resolve taxonomic and distribution ambiguities.
• Field surveys included semi-structured interviews, camera trapping, media analysis, and transect surveys utilizing traditional ecological knowledge.
• Ethnozoological data were collected from Mro tribal hunters regarding the natural history of Manis pentadactyla.

Main Results:

• The critically endangered Manis pentadactyla was confirmed in northwest, northeast, and southeast Bangladesh across various habitats.
• Interviews with the Mro tribe suggest local extirpation of pangolins in the southeast by 2014 due to intensive commercial collection since 2010.
• Evidence for the presence of Manis crassicaudata and Manis javanica in Bangladesh remains unverified, with historical records likely stemming from misidentifications.

Conclusions:

• Manis pentadactyla is the only pangolin species verifiably present in Bangladesh, facing significant threats.
• Conservation strategies must focus on the confirmed presence of Manis pentadactyla and address the likely extirpation of populations due to illegal wildlife trade.
• Further research is needed to definitively confirm or refute the presence of Manis crassicaudata and Manis javanica in the region.