Pangolins, the world’s most trafficked mammals, are disappearing at an alarming rate. In the hills of Manipur, their decline has become increasingly visible, with local communities now realising that saving pangolins is crucial not only for wildlife but for their own survival.
Pangolins have long been a part of local diets and traditions. But with rising illegal trade and hunting, their numbers have plummeted, threatening both cultural practices and ecological balance.
“Without pangolins, our crops are dying. Our houses are falling and our forests are decaying,” says Thomas, a church catechist from Manipur’s Razai Khullen village. But how could pangolins and crops be linked?
S A Ramnganing, former President of the Tangkhul Naga Awunga Long (TNAL), explains the ecological role of pangolins: “They burrow and open up underground tunnels that help soak up rainwater. Without them, the earth dries up, and rainwater trickles down to the valley, unhindered, harming our crops.”
The decline in pangolins has also led to a rise in termite populations. “There are just more termites eating away our wooden houses and trees now,” says Ramnganing.
Chingrisoror Rumthao, a field officer with the Wildlife Trust of India (WT), travels from village to village, raising awareness about pangolins and their vital role in the ecosystem. His efforts continue despite the ongoing regional conflicts.
But in remote villages like Chingjaro, where livelihoods remain tied to hunting, awareness alone is not always enough. Chingrisoror highlights poverty as a driving force behind hunting.
“People don’t have enough money to buy poultry. To feed your family, you need to go out and hunt,” says Chingrisoror, explaining the struggle to balance tradition with conservation.
Locally known as the Saaham, pangolins are hunted for their medicinal scales. “Even a decade ago, locals would load trucks full of pangolins, which earned them good money,” recalls Thomas. The high demand keeps the illegal trade thriving across borders.
Manipur’s proximity to Myanmar has made it a hotspot for illegal wildlife trade. “Moreh on the Indian side and Namphalong on the Myanmar side are inhabited by the same communities. This makes international transfers easier,” explains Chingrisoror.
In response to the pangolin crisis, TNAL took a historic step. They passed a resolution to ban pangolin hunting across 230 villages, marking a significant shift in community-driven conservation efforts.
The community has united to protect the pangolin. “Until we take strict measures in the protection of the species, we might lose it forever,” says Kashung Tennyson, president of TNAL. The resolution is now a binding law for all villages in the area.
The pamphlet starts with quotes like “Let us be protectors of GOD’s PLAN inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.”