GUWAHATI: The apex body of Nagaland's Sangtam community has passed a key resolution to protect pangolins, the world's most trafficked wild mammal, within their area. The Sangtams mainly live in Kiphire and Tuensang districts along the India-Myanmar border, which is a major route for pangolin trafficking across northeast India. This resolution is a big win for the Countering Pangolin Trafficking Project, led by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and supported by the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Pangolin Crisis Fund. A WTI spokesperson said, “The resolution reflects the growing strength of community-led conservation efforts and signals an expanding wave of grassroots support for pangolin protection across State boundaries.” The project started in 2023 in Manipur to fight illegal trade that threatens Indian and Chinese pangolins. It later spread to Nagaland, focusing on the critical India-Myanmar border landscape. Similar steps were taken by the Tangkhul Naga community in Manipur’s Ukhrul district. The Sangtam region features dense forests and rich biodiversity, part of the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot. L. Kipitong Sangtam, a community elder, said, “Community institutions are the backbone of conservation in Nagaland. With collective support, the Pangolin Project is building trust and strengthening local leadership to ensure long-term protection of pangolins.” WTI field officer Chingrisoror Rumthao added, “The Sangtam community has shown remarkable leadership and openness in understanding the urgency of pangolin conservation. Their support is not only encouraging but crucial. When communities take ownership, conservation becomes sustainable and powerful.” Pangolins are poached for their scales and meat, highly sought after for traditional medicine and luxury products in Asia and Africa.