Guwahati, Feb. 15 -- Wildlife crime is a growing crisis in Northeast, often intertwined with drug, arms, and human trafficking. Among the many species affected, pangolins, the world's most trafficked mammal, face an unprecedented threat in Assam and the Northeast. Both the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) are at risk.

"Extensive poaching and illegal trade networks are pushing these shy, nocturnal creatures to the brink of extinction," says Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General and CEO of Aaranyak, who also heads its Legal and Advocacy Division.

Despite their protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2022) in India, and their "Critically End...