Often unseen and little understood, the pangolin—known as salak in Nepali—plays a crucial ecological role that benefits both farmers and forests. Conservationists stress the need to preserve this elusive mammal, which faces growing threats from poaching, habitat loss and poor public awareness about conservation.

Tulasi Laxmi Suwal, who completed her doctoral research on pangolins, worries that the animal’s ecological importance is often overlooked. “In countries where pangolins are not found, the governments spend large amounts of money controlling termites. Pangolins naturally control termites and ants. Their presence means fewer pest-related problems for agriculture and settlements,” she said.

Pangolins feed mainly on ants and termites, using their long, sticky tongues, which can extend up to 40 centimetres, to extract insects from nests. According to Bishnu Prasad Acharya, divisional forest officer at the Chitwan Division Forest Office, a single adult pangolin can consume around 20,000 ants and termites a day. “If pangolins disappear, termite populations could increase and damage crops and wooden structures, and even disturb the ecological balance inside forests,” he said.

Despite their armour-like scales, pangolins pose no threat to humans. Instead, their burrowing behaviour helps loosen soil and improve fertility, contributing to healthier ecosystems. In Nepal, pangolins inhabit areas from the Chure hills to the Mahabharat range, up to around 3,000 metres above sea level, according to Suwal. “Their feeding and nesting habits benefit both nature and people,” she said.

Globally, eight species of pangolins exist of which four species are found in Asia. Two species of pangolin—Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), known as Kalo Salak locally, and Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), locally called Tame Salak—are found in Nepal. The Chinese Pangolin is listed as critically endangered species while the Indian Pangolin is listed as endangered species in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s red list.

The animals are considered among the most heavily trafficked mammals in the world due to demand for their scales and meat, despite the absence of proven medicinal value in the scales, which are composed of the same material as human nails.

Although government records indicate that pangolins have been found in 43 districts of Nepal, researcher Suwal claimed that her study identified their presence in as many as 61 districts. She added that a government estimate released around 15 years ago suggested that Nepal had roughly 5,000 Chinese pangolins at the time. Since then, however, no systematic nationwide census has been conducted. The population of the Indian pangolin remains uncertain and is believed to be even smaller.

Pangolins have increasingly come under threat in recent years. While various conservation initiatives have been launched, Acharya said stronger collective efforts are still needed to ensure their survival. He noted that ongoing campaigns have been initiated to raise awareness and strengthen conservation measures, as existing efforts alone have not been sufficient to address the growing challenges faced by the species.

Concern over the species’ future prompted Bagmati Province’s first provincial pangolin conference in Madi of Chitwan on Monday, where stakeholders endorsed a seven-point declaration aimed at strengthening conservation efforts. Participants agreed that forest destruction and illegal hunting remain the primary threats to the species.

According to Acharya, 119 incidents related to pangolin poaching have been recorded in Bagmati Province over the past decade, with only a handful of live rescues. “In most cases, scales and meat had already entered illegal trade networks,” he said, adding that 2020 recorded the highest number of such incidents.

Wildlife experts say local communities are often aware of pangolins and their ecological benefits, but conservation policies have yet to fully incorporate indigenous knowledge. Hari Prasad Sharma, associate professor at Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Zoology, said research shows that organised poaching is largely carried out by outsiders rather than local residents.

“Pangolins tend to live near agricultural land and community forests. Local people generally know about them, but conservation programmes have not sufficiently engaged communities,” said Sharma. He warned that without stronger conservation measures, the species could vanish within decades. “If current threats continue, pangolins may remain only in stories within 20 to 50 years,” he said.

The National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act imposes strict penalties for killing or trading protected species, including fines up to Rs1 million and prison terms of up to 15 years. Poor enforcement of legal provisions and awareness at the community level, according to conservationists, are the major challenges for pangolin conservation in Nepal.

Habitat degradation has also intensified risks. Rakesh Chandrabanshi, divisional forest officer in Makawanpur, said forest fires, road construction and the increasing use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides have damaged pangolin habitats. “Development activities often disturb their burrows and feeding grounds,” he said.

In recent years, conservation and monitoring efforts have also been carried out by actively involving local communities in pangolin protection initiatives. In Madi’s Bankatta village, community-based monitoring has begun to show positive results. Local resident Satya Narayan Bote said he had heard of elders but had never seen one himself. “We only realised what a pangolin looks like after camera traps recorded it in our forest,” he said. Pangolins are nocturnal and rarely seen, which makes conservation monitoring difficult.