Chinese Pangolin conservation in the eastern Himalaya of Nepal

Background

For over a decade, AACD has been dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity in Nepal’s Eastern Himalayas, with a focus on conserving the endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and other threatened species within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA). The Chinese pangolin faces severe threats from illegal wildlife trade, poaching, habitat loss and lack of scientific data and public awareness. Recognizing these challenges, AACD has initiated conservation efforts in the region.

Project Achievements

Since 2012, AACD has made significant progress in pangolin conservation within Nepal’s Eastern Himalayas:

• Conducted field surveys, interviews, focus group discussions and camera trapping with active community participation to document pangolin presence.
• Digitally mapped 239 pangolin burrows across Nangkholyang and Dokhu villages, providing critical baseline data for monitoring.
• Captured the first camera-trap evidence of Chinese pangolin in Taplejung, Nepal’s easternmost Himalayan district.
• Established the first-ever Pangolin Conservation Committee (PCC) in Nangkholyang to strengthen grassroots conservation leadership.
• Built strong community ownership for pangolin protection initiatives through active PCC engagement.
• Enhanced coordination among local communities, government agencies, and conservation partners via workshops, awareness programs, and field visits as a multi-stakeholder Collaboration.
• Measured notable behavioral improvements in local awareness and attitudes toward pangolin conservation through pre- and post-project surveys.

Future Plans

AACD's work has laid a solid foundation for community-led monitoring and conservation in the Eastern Himalayas. AACD aims to:

• Train young community members in wildlife monitoring and provide them with essential tools such as GPS devices and camera traps.
• Expand community-based pangolin conservation across the region and support long-term protection initiatives at the national level.