KOHIMA (Nagaland, India): A tribal body in the Indian state of Nagaland has imposed a ban on the hunting of pangolins within its jurisdiction in the state. The ban has been imposed by the United Sangtam Likhum Pumji (USLP), the apex tribal body representing the Sangtam Naga community in Nagaland.
The move is part of the efforts to conserve two endangered species found in the region. The resolution, adopted unanimously by community leaders, comes as part of a broader push involving local governance structures and wildlife protection groups to stem illegal wildlife trade and ecological loss.
The ban affects both, the Indian pangolin and the Chinese pangolin, two species native to the forests of northeast India and classified as threatened due to poaching and trafficking. Pangolins are among the world’s most trafficked mammals, targeted for their scales and meat, which are illegally traded for purported medicinal uses and luxury goods, driving dramatic declines in wild populations. The northeastern states, with their proximity to international borders and dense forest cover, are regarded by conservationists as a critical front in combating this illicit trade.
The USLP resolution formalizes a community-level mandate against pangolin hunting and reinforces traditional governance norms that regulate natural resource use among the Sangtam people. It was passed under the framework of the Pangolin Project, an initiative launched in Manipur in 2023 and expanded into Nagaland with technical and strategic support from conservation organizations and state forest departments. The project focuses on awareness, community engagement, and strengthening enforcement against illegal hunting and trade.
Conservationists say such moves are vital not only for endangered species but also for preserving broader biodiversity and ecosystem functions in one of India’s richest ecological zones. Poaching and trafficking remain entrenched due to lucrative international demand, and conservation groups have documented numerous seizures of pangolin skins and arrests linked to wildlife crime across the region in recent years.
The ban by the USLP underscores an emerging model of indigenous community leadership in conservation, aligning traditional governance with modern protection goals. Sangtam leaders assert that a culturally grounded approach, supported by awareness and enforcement, will offer a more resilient defense for endangered species like the pangolin.
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