DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF CHINESE PANGOLIN IN NANGKHOLANG VDC, TAPLEJUNG, EASTERN NEPAL

摘要

Chinese pangolins were distributed in all the wards of Nangkholyang VDC, Taplejung. Indirect signs of pangolin found in the study area included 211 burrows (16 new, 195 old), scats, footprints and traces of tail scrapes. The burrows were distributed from sub-tropical to temperate regions, i.e., 1,126 to 2,406 m altitude, with the highest location found at 1,520 - 1,620 m. The most preferred aspect was the southwest. The habitat utilized was in agricultural land and forest. In forest, the maximum number of burrows were found in open forest with crown cover of 0-25%. Thirty-eight types of plant species were found around the burrows.