Pangolins - DTE - 25/11/22

Context:
During recently concluded the 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) urged countries, to remove references to parts and derivatives of pangolins “from the official pharmacopoeia” to help save the species.
Relevance:
Prelims - Environment and Ecology
About:
Scientific Name: Manis crassicaudata
The Indian pangolin is the largest among eight pangolin species.
Of the eight species of pangolin worldwide, two are found in India. They are Chinese pangolin (manis pentadactyla), mostly found in northeast India and Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata).

The species is understood to occur in various types of tropical forests as well as open land, grasslands and degraded habitats, including close to villages.
The species can adapt well to modified habitats, provided its ant and termite prey remains abundant
It is widely distributed in India, except in the arid region, high Himalayas and the North-East.