Nabarangpur: Forest Department officials Wednesday rescued a pangolin from the toilet of a person in Panarachua village under Umerkote block in Nabarangpur district.
Forest officials arrested accused Ghasia Santa for illegally keeping the endangered animal in his toilet.
The shy, harmless pangolin was seen covering its face with its tiny paws to protect itself while officers carefully dismantled the porcelain toilet with a hammer to free the animal during a dramatic rescue.
Forest officials from reliable sources came to know that Ghasia has kept the animal in his toilet for exporting it to smugglers at a hefty sum.
Also Read: Top bureaucrat under Vigilance scanner for amassing disproportionate assets
That said, the officials conducted a raid at his house and rescued the endangered animal. The weight of the animal is about 7 kilograms.
District forest officer Magar Dhanji Rao said after doing health examination, the pangolin will be released back in the wild.
Also Read: Miscreants hurl bombs during loot bid in Khurda, four critical
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Santa had hidden the pangolin in the toilet in order to avoid detection by forest department officials.
PNN
