Islamabad: The Indian pangolin — a critically endangered mammal — is on the verge of extinction as 80 per cent of its population has been either hunted or trafficked out of the country.
These concerns were raised by experts and officials of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Pakistan) and the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) at an awareness-raising session held inside the Margazar Zoo that is no longer functional since the departure of Kavan, the lone elephant, to Cambodia last year.
They called for use of drone technology and radio-transmitters to trace, preserve and enlarge the families of pangolin.
Poachers get away unpunished
In Pakistan, the experts said, poachers of this harmless and eco-friendly animal get away without any problem as there are no penalties or punishment for them.