"Community Based Conservation Initiative for Chinese Pangolin in Assam’s Karbi Hills"
Speaker : Abhijit Konwar
PhD Scholar, Animal Behaviour & Cognition Programme, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, NIAS
@ : konwarabhijit@nias.res.in
Chairperson : Sindhu Radhakrishna
Professor, Animal Behaviour & Cognition Programme, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, NIAS
@ : sindhu@nias.res.in
Date : 7th October 2026
Time : 9.30 AM
Venue : Lecture Hall
Abstract: The Chinese Pangolin, one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Despite this protection, it continues to face threats from hunting and illegal trade. The Karbi Hills of Assam lie within its known range but remain largely under-researched and face conservation challenges due to remote terrain, complex land tenure systems, and limited conservation infrastructure.
A community-based conservation initiative was undertaken to document local knowledge and values, understand threats from hunting and trade, and strengthen local capacity for pangolin conservation. The initiative demonstrated the value of local ecological knowledge in understanding pangolin ecology and behaviour. It also found that pangolins are hunted for traditional medicinal use and illegal trade, influenced by factors including limited access to healthcare, lack of awareness, and livelihood constraints.
Awareness programmes and capacity-building workshops were conducted to promote local stewardship and long-term conservation. A Pangolin Conservation Network (PCN) was also established with voluntary community members to sustain community participation in pangolin conservation across the landscape
About the speaker: Abhijit Konwar is a PhD scholar in the School of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). His PhD research focuses on the ecology, distribution, and human dimensions of pangolins in India. Before joining his PhD, he conducted research and conservation work on a range of fauna and flora, including butterflies, trapdoor spiders, birds, carnivorous plants, orchids, and river dolphins. These experiences led to his interest in the human dimensions of wildlife and biodiversity conservation, particularly community-based conservation. He is also a co-founder of the Society for Green Conservation, an Assam-based NGO working towards environmental protection and conservation through research, education, awareness, and community engagement. He received the Prakriti Research Fellowship in 2025.