First photographic evidence and distribution of the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India

Main Article Content

Hemant Singh
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5105-9673
Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5636-5031
N. Gokulakannan
Saket Agasti
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1079-0734
K. Aditya
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8441-1688

Abstract

The Indian Pangolin, although considered to be widely distributed due to its elusive nature and low detection probability its status and distribution records are very limited. Rampant hunting for local consumption, and illegal wildlife trade for medicinal and ornamental purposes has pushed the species towards serious decline. Herein, we report the first photographic records of the Indian Pangolin in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), Rajasthan, India. During our camera trapping study from June 2018 to April 2019, out of 29,220 camera trapping nights the species was recorded on four occasions, at two different locations in STR. The species was recorded in the open forest areas near natural water bodies situated in the middle of dense Anogeissus pendula forests. 

Article Details

Section
Short Communications

References

Akpona, H. A., C. A. Djagoun & B. Sinsin (2008). Ecology and ethnozoology of the three-cusped pangolin Manis tricuspis (Mammalia, Pholidota) in the Lama forest reserve, Benin. Mammalia 72: 198–202.

Baillie, J., D. Challender, P. Kaspal , A. Khatiwada, R. Mohapatra & H. Nash (2014). Manis crassicaudata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T12761A45221874. Downloaded on 09 May 2020. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-2.RLTS.T12761A45221874.en

Bhardwaj, G.S. (2018). Sariska Tiger Reserve: A Managerial Approach to the Problems of Landscape. Indian Forester 144: 900–910.

Bhatnagar, C., V. Sharma & K. Jani (2013). An annotated study of mammalian fauna of the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaipur, Rajasthan (India). Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, 4pp.

Challender, D. & C. Waterman (2017). Implementation of CITES Decisions 17.239 b) and 17.240 on Pangolins (Manis spp.), CITES SC 69 Doc. 57 Annex. Available from, https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/69/E-SC69-57-A.pdf

Challender, D., S. Wu, P. Kaspal, A. Khatiwada, A. Ghose, N. Ching-Min Sun, R.K. Mohapatra & T.L. Suwal (2019). Manis pentadactyla (errata version published in 2020). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12764A168392151. Downloaded on 25 May 2020. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12764A168392151.en

Dookia, S. & G. R. Jakher (2004). Status of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in the arid part of Thar desert of Rajasthan. Tiger paper, 31: 9–10.

Kumar, V.P., A. Rajpoot & S.S. Rasaily (2020). Peril for pangolins: an evaluation the status of the last decade in India. Forensic Science International: Reports 2: 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100058

Latafat, K. & A. Sadhu (2016). First Photographic Evidence of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata E. Geoffroy, 1803 in Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR), Rajasthan, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 113: 21–22.

Macdonald, E.A., D. Burnham, A.E. Hinks, A.J. Dickman, Y. Malhi & D.W. Macdonald (2015). Conservation inequality and the charismatic cat: Felis felicis. Global Ecology and Conservation 3: 851–866.

Mahmood, T., R. Hussain, N. Irshad, F. Akrim & M. S. Nadeem (2012). Illegal mass killing of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) on Potohar Region, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 44: 1457–1461.

Mahmood, T., N. Irshad & R. Hussain (2014). Habitat preference and population estimates of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in District Chakwal of Potohar Plateau, Pakistan. Russian Journal of Ecology 45: 70–75.

Mahmood, T., K. Kanwal & I. U. Zaman (2018). Records of the Indian Pangolin (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae: Manis crassicaudata) from Mansehra District, Pakistan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 10(2): 11254–11261. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3314.10.2.11254-11261

Mahmood, T., D. Challender, A. Khatiwada, S. Andleeb, P. Perera, S. Trageser, A. Ghose & R. Mohapatra (2019). Manis crassicaudata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12761A123583998. Downloaded on 16 May 2020. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12761A123583998.en

Mahmood, T., R.K. Mohapatra, P. Perera, N. Irshad, F. Akrim, S. Andleeb, M. Waseem, S. Sharma & S. Panda (2020). Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Geoffroy, 1803), pp.71–88. In: Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, 658pp.

Mohapatra, R.K., S. Panda, L.N. Acharjyo, M.V. Nair & D.W.S. Challender (2015). A note on the illegal trade and use of Pangolin body parts in India. TRAFFIC Bulletin 27: 33–40.

Pocock, R.I. (1924). The External Characters of: the Pangolins (Manidae). In: Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 94(Sep): 707–723.

Prater, H.S. (2005). The Book of Indian Animals. Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 348pp+67pls.

Roberts, T.J. (1977). The Mammals of Pakistan. Ernest Benn, London, UK, 361pp.

Roberts, T.J. (1997). Pholidota, pp. 131–135. In: The Mammals of Pakistan. Revised Edition. Oxford University Press, Karachi, 525pp.

Sankar, K., Q. Qureshi, P. Nigam, P.K. Malik, P. R. Sinha, R.N. Mehrotra, R. Gopal, S. Bhattacharjee, K. Mondal & S. Gupta (2010). Monitoring of reintroduced tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Western India: preliminary findings on home range, prey selection and food habits. Tropical Conservation Science 3: 301–318.

Sharma, S., S. K. Sharma & S. Sharma (2003). Notes on mammalian fauna of Rajasthan. Zoos’ Print Journal 18(4): 1085–1088. https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.18.4.1085-8

Shekhawat, R.S. (2015). Tiger Conservation Plan of Sariska Tiger Reserve, Sariska, Alwar, Rajasthan (India). Rajasthan Forest Department, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 378pp.

Singh, A., A. Mukherjee, S. Dookia & H.N. Kumara (2017). An updated account of mammal species and population status of ungulates in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Current Science 113: 103.

Srinivasulu, C. & B. Srinivasulu (2012). South Asian Mammals. Their Diversity, Distribution, and Status. Springer, New York, 468pp+xii.

Tikader, B.K. (1983). Threatened Animals of India. Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, 307pp.

Wu, S.B., N. Lui, Y. Zhang & G. Ma (2004). Assessment of threatened status of Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). Chinese Journal of Applied Environmental Biology 10: 456–461.

Yadav, A.S. & S.K. Gupta (2006). Effect of micro-environment and human disturbance on the diversity of woody species in the Sariska Tiger Project in India. Forest Ecology and Management 225: 178–189.