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Journal of Threatened Taxa Bufldfng evfdence for conservafon globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Onlfne) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Prfnt) Communfcatfon Dfstrfbutfon pattern, populatfon estfmatfon and threats to the Indfan Pangolfn Manfs crassfcaudata (Mammalfa: Pholfdota: Manfdae) fn and around Pfr Lasura Natfonal Park, Azad Jammu & Kashmfr, Pakfstan Faraz Akrfm, Tarfq Mahmood, Rfaz Hussafn, Sfddfqa Qasfm & Imad-ul-dfn Zangf 26 March 2017 | Vol. 9| No. 3 | Pp. 9920–9927 10.11609/jot. 2914 .9. 3.9920-9927 For Focus, Scope, Afms, Polfcfes and Gufdelfnes vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/About_JoTT.asp For Arfcle Submfssfon Gufdelfnes vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/Submfssfon_Gufdelfnes.asp For Polfcfes agafnst Scfenffc Mfsconduct vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/JoTT_Polfcy_agafnst_Scfenffc_Mfsconduct.asp For reprfnts contact <[email protected]> Publfsher/Host Partner Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 March 2017 | 9(3): 9920–9927 Distribution pattern, population estimation and threats Communication to the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Mammalia: ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) Pholidota: Manidae) in and around Pir Lasura National Park, ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan OPEN ACCESS Faraz Akrim 1, Tariq Mahmood 2, Riaz Hussain 3, Siddiqa Qasim 4 & Imad-ul-din Zangi 5 1,2,3,4,5 Department of Wildlife Management, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan 1 Visiting Scholar, College of Forestry & Conservation, Department of Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, USA 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected], 4 [email protected], 5 [email protected] Abstract: Baseline knowledge of distribution and abundance of a species whose population is facing decline throughout its distribution range is vital for its conservation planning. The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata is such a species, which is imperiled and lacking key biological studies in the northern locale of Pakistan. We investigated distribution, abundance and threats faced by the Indian Pangolin in and around Pir Lasura National Park, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. The Indian Pangolin has a patchy distribution in the study area ranging from 590–1,540 m elevation. A very low population (0.77±0.34 individuals/km2) of Indian Pangolin were recorded from the Park. Local perception towards the Indian Pangolin was to a great extent negative. A total of 446 pangolins were killed during 2013–2015. We recovered 12 dead pangolins and 10 jackets of scales. Furthermore, 111 live captures, 313 killing and selling of 26kg scales were reported by the local community. Groups involved in killing of Indian Pangolin included local hunters (90.3%), farmers (8.2%) and labours (1.5%). We propose more studies should be carried out to improve the baseline data on the ecology of species and awareness education programs both by government and private sectors, to educate local communities living in and around Pir Lasura National Park for getting support for the conservation of the Indian Pangolin. Keywords: Distribution, Indian Pangolin, Pir Lasura National Park, population, threats. DOI: http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2914.9.3.9920-9927 | ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:69C74F90-19C6-4CA2-8134-DAA273369832 Editor: Dan Challender, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Date of publication: 26 March 2017 (online & print) Manuscript details: Ms # 2914 | Received 16 July 2016 | Final received 16 January 2017 | Finally accepted 07 March 2017 Citation: Akrim, F., T. Mahmood, R. Hussain, S. Qasim & I. Zangi (2017). Distribution pattern, population estimation and threats to the Indian PangolinManis cras- sicaudata (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae) in and around Pir Lasura National Park, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 9(3): 9920–9927; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2914.9.3.9920-9927 Copyright: © Akrim et al. 2017. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication. Funding: The Rufford Foundation. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Author Details: Faraz Akrim is actively involved in educating local communities for getting their support for wildlife conservation in Pakistan. His research interests are application of non-invasive genetic sampling to understand ecology of wildlife. Tariq Mahmood is Assistant Professor in Department of Wildlife Management PMAS AAUR and actively involved in conservation of Indian Pangolin in Pakistan.Riaz Hussain is working on conservation of mammals and birds in Pakistan. Siddiqa Qasim is working on conservation of mammals and reptiles. Imad-ul-din Zangi is working on conservation of mammals and vultures. Author Contribution: FA, TM and RH conducted the study. SQ and IUDZ helped in literature searches. Acknowledgement: We are very thankful to The Rufford Foundation for providing funding for this research. Without their support it would not have been possible for our team to conduct this research study. 9920 Indian Pangolin in Pir Lasura NP, Pakistan Akrim et al. INTRODUCTION faces a massive pressure of illegal killing due to a high demand of its scales in the market (Broad et al. 1988; The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata is the only Mahmood et al. 2012). It is believed that the scales of member of the order Pholidota existing in Pakistan. the Indian Pangolin have medicinal importance (Israel The Indian Pangolin is distributed in southern Asia et al. 1987) and ornamental uses (Prater 1980). The from eastern Pakistan through most of India, south of flesh and fat of the pangolin is used in medicines (Indian the Himalaya (with exception of northeastern India), Widlife Club Ezine 2004). The skin of the pangolin is southern Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Schlitter used in manufacturing clothes and shoes (Broad et al. 2005; Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu 2012). Historical records 1988). The animal, its scales and products are traded suggest the species occurs in western China (Yunnan internationally with many countries of the world (Broad Province) (Heath 1995; Smith & Xie 2008) and there et al. 1988; Nowak 1999; Mahmood et al. 2012). Killing have been dubious records in Myanmar (Allen 1938). of the Indian Pangolin is evident from many countries The Indian Pangolin is locally called “Salla” in Pakistan of the world, which include Sumatra, Indonesia (Sopyan (Prater 1971). It is reported in four provinces and occurs 2009), peninsular Malaysia (Chin & Pantel 2009), and in Sialkot, Jhelum and Gujrat locale in northwestern Potohar region of Pakistan (Mahmood et al. 2012). Punjab and stretches out over the Salt Range into Kohat During eight years (from 2000 to 2007) about 30,000 area, furthermore from Attock region up to Mardan and pangolins were killed in Southeast Asia (Chin & Pantel Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK) territory. 2009). The killing of the pangolin is evident from many There is no confirmation of its occurrence in lower other studies like Mitra (1998), Mishra et al. (2004, Indus waterway plain, Thar Desert and Bahawalpur. Its 2011), Challender (2011), Mohanty (2011), Gubbi & distribution is likewise reported from Dadu and Larkana Linkie (2012), Baillie et al. (2014), and Challender et al. dsitricts of Sindh and Mekran and Lasbela regions of (2014). In Pakistan it is believed by local ethno-medical Baluchistan (Roberts 1997). A fossil ancestor of Manis practitioners (hakims) that the Indian Pangolin is a crassicaudata had been found close to Manchar Lake, valuable source of traditional medicines (Roberts 1997). Dadu area (Colbert 1935). Fossil pholidotes have also The Indian Pangolin is an important mammal in been found in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America its biological niche. It lives in burrows and feed on (Heath 1992). ants and termites and acts as biological pest control. The scales of pangolin are made of keratin arising Furthermore, burrowing activity of the Indian Pangolin from fused hairs which originate from a thick skin, and creates breeding habitat and shelter for many other continue to grow from the base throughout life. Scales animals (Hansell 1993). The ecological data on are yellow-brown or yellow-grey in color (Aiyappan distribution and population and threats to the Indian 1942). Scales cover all surfaces of the animal body Pangolin is scanty generally in Pakistan; however, it is except the footpads, ventral side of the head and trunk, well studied in Pothwar region of Pakistan by Mahmood and the inner surface of the limbs. Those surfaces not et al. (2012, 2014, 2015a), and Irshad et al. (2015). The covered by the scales are sparsely populated with white Indian Pangolin in Azad Jammu & Kashmir has not been or gray hairs. Scale size, shape, and ridge pattern are studied yet and baseline data on ecology is necessary for species-specific characteristics (Kuehn 1986). Jentink national action planning