An endangered pangolin has been rescued in Boda upazila of Panchagarh. It was rescued on the night of 27 October from the Kaliaganj area of Jholoi Shalshiri union in the upazila.

The animal was handed over to the Forest Department at noon on 28 October.

Locals said that on Monday night they saw this strange black animal at the Kaliaganj Nazirtan High School field and, frightened at first, chased it. When the animal became weak, they informed Sahidul Islam, a local animal expert and founder of the Wildlife and Snake Rescue Team. He came, identified it as a pangolin, rescued it and gave it first aid.

Sahidul Islam said the black pangolin is two and a half feet long and weighs about six kilograms. He described it as a nearly endangered animal that usually lives in burrows in bushes and thickets. Local people had never seen such an animal before, and this is the first time a pangolin has been caught in Panchagarh.

Monjurul Karim, forest officer of the Forest Department's Debiganj range, said the endangered pangolin is now healthy and well. Arrangements are being made to send it to the Forest Department in Dhaka, from where senior authorities may release it at a suitable place.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.