ABBOTTABAD:Wildlife department Abbottabad Sunday confiscated 1.5 KG scales of Pangolians worth millions of rupees and arrested four smugglers red-handed.
DFO Wildlife department Abbottabad Sardar Nawaz while talking to media that the smugglers were trying to send the skin of Pangolins to South Africa when the wildlife department of the tip-off was raided and arrested four accused red-handed seized 1.4 KG skin, mobile phone and vehicle being used for transportation.
He further said that smugglers belong to Haripur and we have arrested them and started the investigation, we have also registered a case against them and would present them before the court on Monday.
The DFO said”Pangolin is an endangered species that has an important role in the ecosystem. Pangolins have a thick layer of protective scales made from keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails and rhinoceros horns. Scales account for about 20 percent of the animal’s weight. When threatened, pangolins curl into a ball, using the scales as armor to defend against predators.”
Although Pangolin scales, have no proven medicinal value, yet they are used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with ailments ranging from lactation difficulties to arthritis. The scales are typically dried and ground up into powder, which may be turned into a pill.