12/11/2023
“A Miraculous Encounter: Rescuing a Pangolin” by Ibrahim Cheema
In late December of 2023, I had an encounter with a highly endangered creature: the pangolin. Though I already had an affinity for animals, this remarkable experience amplified my passion for wildlife conservation. In this blog, I will recount the thrilling story of my encounter with a pangolin and the subsequent efforts to ensure its safety.
My adventure began during an evening walk along Margalla Road, in Islamabad. The road is close-by to the Margalla Hills National Park known for its rich biodiversity. As I walked along the footpath, I stumbled upon a small, round creature lying on the side of the road rolled up into what I can only describe as a ball. I was confused as at first, I couldn’t make out what it was. Was it an armadillo? All the way in Pakistan? No way! It wasn’t until it got up and started walking along the footpath, I realized it was a pangolin, a scaly anteater. An animal I had ever only seen in wildlife books as a child.
The first thought that came to mind was what if the poor pangolin gets hit by a car? We were on a main road which worried me greatly. Seeing that the situation was dire I tried to grab the pangolin. However, all my attempts failed! Its scales were very slippery, and the pangolin was quite heavy. In my efforts to grab him I noticed a tracker with an antenna attached to its tail. The tracker was shaped exactly like a handle with grooves, I quickly ascertained that it was specifically designed to hold onto the pangolin. I grabbed the tracker and with some effort got him off the road. Since I was only a hundred meters from my home, I was able to pull the pangolin inside my house. Once I brought it into my garden, I closed the gate. No way it was going to escape back onto the road.
I judged from the tracker that he must’ve been released by the Margalla hills Wildlife Department. I immediately searched for their number and tried calling. Since it was late at night no one answered my calls. I immediately went to their page where I messaged them. Within 15 minutes I got a response from Ms. Rina Khan Satti - the Chair of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, an official Government agency. She said that she and her crew would be arriving shortly. This quick response had truly warmed my heart as it was late at night, yet they were very committed to conservation and rescue. While I was waiting for them to arrive, a neighbor’s guard who had saw me take the creature into my home pleaded with me that we should sell the pangolin. He explained they are extremely valuable on the black market, and we can split the profits. Due to the poverty and economic situation in Pakistan, many people are desperate for money. I told him that I took it into my home not to sell it but to rescue it. I warned him that I would issue a case against him if he doesn’t go away! That’s when he backed off. Soon, the wildlife team arrived, and Ms. Satti was very ecstatic that I found the pangolin they were unable to track for 2 days. They had recently rescued it from smugglers during an elaborate sting operation. Her crew took the pangolin and carefully put it into a box for transport which they loaded onto a truck. Ms. Satti thanked me, and I commended her for the great work they were doing. We took some photos and said our goodbyes. The pangolin was released the very next day back into the park.
Rescuing a pangolin was a life-changing experience that deepened my commitment to wildlife conservation. This encounter not only taught me about the fragility of our natural world but also about the resilience and beauty of the creatures that inhabit it. It also allowed me to understand; how poverty is a main contributor to the smuggling of endangered species especially in Pakistan. I am now more determined than ever to continue working towards a future where pangolins and other endangered species thrive in their natural habitats, untouched by the threat of extinction. My encounter with the pangolin was not just a coincidence; it was a reminder that every individual can make a difference in the fight to preserve our planet's incredible biodiversity.
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