Kenyan pangolin rescued from poachers

From the Nairobi Star in Kenya:

Rare Ground Pangolin Rescued From Poachers in Rimoi Reserve

5 January 2012

A rare and endangered animal – ground pangolin – was rescued from poachers in Kerio Valley. John Ngalia, the Kenya Wildlife Service deputy warden in charge of Rimoi Game Reserve said KWS officers got a tip off on Monday and moved into action, seizing the animal and arresting one suspect. Two others are said to have escaped.

Ngalia said the suspect was reportedly among a gang of poachers responsible for the declining number of wild animals in the region. The poachers, he said, must have been hunting the animal for a long time as it was hard to find. Unlike with elephants, hunting of the ground pangolin is not deemed obviously illegal in Kenya.

The KWS official said the suspected poachers were reportedly linked with the outside market to channel their products to Asian countries. In Asia, the ground pangolin is used as a delicacy, while its scales are used for making clothes. Ngalia said the animal would be returned to its natural habitat. Meanwhile, the animal became the centre of attraction, as curious onlookers milled around the cage, to have a glimpse of the rare ant eater.

Tanzania: Ngorongoro Villagers Excited By Pangolin: here.

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has passed a crucial law that could transform how transboundary ecosystems and resources in East Africa are managed. EALA is the legislative arm of the East African Community, a regional block bringing together five countries, namely, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi: here.

Environmentalists and conservators now warn that the mangrove forest along the Kenyan Coast could soon be wiped out as loggers and villagers destroy mangrove forests in the region. “In the near future, we may be reading about the mangrove in books,” said Michael Fundo, the Chairman of Majaoni Youth Development Group which is working on conservation of mangrove in Malindi: here.

Uganda: Police Foil Attempt to Smuggle Pangolin Scales: here.

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