The Special Task Force (STF) wing of Odisha police rescued two live pangolins with the arrest of two wildlife smugglers in the Sonepur district, said STF officials on Wednesday.
The accused were apprehended in Lachhipura police station jurisdiction of the district on Tuesday. They were nabbed while carrying out a deal to sell the protected animals, said STF officials.
The protected animals have been handed over to the Divisional Forest Officer, Sonepur for their safe custody. The rescued pangolins weighed around 7 kg & 3 kg respectively, they said.
The Indian Pangolin is a solitary, shy, slow moving, nocturnal mammal. It is a Schedule-I protected animal under Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, which provides absolute protection-offences under these are prescribed for the highest penalties.