Quang Ngai (VNA) - Authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai have released a rare and endangered pangolin back into its natural habitat after it was voluntarily handed over by local residents, contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts.
Representatives from the police force of Tay Tra commune said on December 6 that a day earlier, while working in Ha village of the mountainous commune, Duong Chau Huy (35) and Ly Thai Han (31), both from village 5 in Binh Son commune, found the pangolin wandering near residential areas and a roadway. To ensure its safety, they brought it to the communal police station.
Initial verification showed that the animal weighed 3.7kg and measured over 60cm. It was identified as a Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), also known as the Javan pangolin, listed in Group IB – critically endangered and strictly protected from all commercial exploitation.
After receiving the animal, local police and authorities and forest rangers completed required procedures and released it back into the wild, helping preserve biodiversity and raise public awareness of wildlife protection./.
Endangered Javan pangolin handed over to forest rangers in Quang Tri
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
