A Palawan pangolin discovered wandering at the perimeter of a hotel in Barangay Masagana, El Nido, was released back into the wild last week after wildlife-trained professionals evaluated it and determined it was healthy and uninjured.
The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) said on Wednesday that it weighs 1.75 kilograms and measures 30 cm in length.
The critically endangered Palawan pangolin’s (Manis culionensis) return to its natural habitat was done by the PCSDS, the Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit, the local environment office of El Nido, and The Funny Lion Hotel.
Only the province is home to the elusive Palawan pangolin. Conservation groups warned that it is a biological treasure that is already on the brink of extinction due to illegal wildlife trading and habitat destruction.
Pangolins are natural pest controllers, consuming ants and termites nightly to maintain balance in forest ecosystems. The reduction of insect populations without the use of toxic chemical pesticides is another advantage of their conservation for agricultural regions.
The flesh and scales of the animal fetch high prices on the black market. Its scales, which is rich in keratin, is mistakenly thought to have medicinal qualities.
It is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means its international commercial trade is banned.
Katala Foundation Inc., a Palawan-based NGO working on wildlife conservation, said poaching remains a livelihood despite existing laws, such as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Its trafficking is often linked to organized wildlife crime syndicates, making its protection difficult and part of a larger fight against environmental crime and corruption.
