Forest Deptt rescues Pangolin from a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Odisha

May 26, 2020

Attagarh (Odisha) [India], May 26 : Forest department officials rescued a pangolin from a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Athagarh forest range in Odisha on Tuesday.
"The animal will be tested for coronavirus by the forest department as a precautionary measure," said Sasmita Lenka, District Forest Officer (DFO), Athagarh.
Listed as endangered, using pangolins for commercial purposes is an unlawful act under the Wildlife Protection Act. Earlier, when the COVID-19 infection had started spreading in Wuhan, China there had been claims that pangolins, just like bats, could be a host for the infection.