Days after four poachers were arrested with cheetal scales along the Jharkhand–Bihar border, forest officials in Jharkhand’s Latehar district have uncovered another strand in the illegal wildlife trade, arresting a woman with 2 kg of pangolin scales. The woman was apprehended from the Baresand area on Tuesday with a bag containing pangolin scales, Latehar forest range officer Nandkumar Mehta said. ADVERTISEMENTPangolin scales, made of keratin like human nails, are among the most trafficked wildlife products in the world and fetch high prices in international markets. “Frequent raids are being conducted to catch poachers in the Latehar forest region,” he added. According to the World Wildlife Fund, pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, with most trafficking involving African species smuggled into Asia.

Source: The Telegraph January 21, 2026 05:48 UTC