Kohima: The second edition of the Pangolin Cup football tournament kicked off at Meluri local ground in Nagaland on October 26, bringing together eight local teams to promote pangolin conservation and raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade.
Organised by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Meluri Range Sports Association (MRSA) and the Nagaland Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the six-day tournament will conclude on October 31.
The initiative is supported by the Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) under the Wildlife Conservation Network and the Serenity Trust.
The opening match was played between Royals FC and Knight Riders.
The inaugural ceremony featured a traditional performance by the Meluri Area Public Organisations (MAPO), addresses by dignitaries and conservation representatives, and the felicitation of community leaders for their contributions to wildlife conservation.
Community representatives also shared their experiences, highlighting the role of local leadership in protecting wildlife.
The Pangolin Cup is part of WTI’s ‘Countering Pangolin Trafficking’ project, which aims to address the illegal trade of pangolins in Manipur and Nagaland.
Through football, the initiative seeks to engage local youth, community leaders and residents in conservation efforts and encourage communities to take an active role in protecting wildlife and preserving their natural heritage.
Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals in the world, driven largely by demand for their scales and meat. Illegal wildlife trade poses a serious threat to their survival, highlighting the need for collective action involving local communities, enforcement agencies and conservation organisations.
Speaking at the event, Kiphire Wildlife Warden Sheichutho Katiry emphasised the need to reconnect younger generations with traditional conservation values.
Katiry said forests, which were once essential for survival, should be recognised by younger generations as a living heritage that sustains countless lives.
He said pangolins were traditionally left undisturbed due to ancestral beliefs and were not considered a target for hunting. However, the growing influence of illegal wildlife trade had altered this relationship, placing the species under increasing threat.
He called for the revival of traditional values and stronger community commitment to conservation, adding that the Pangolin Cup should serve as more than a football tournament and become a pledge to protect pangolins and preserve natural heritage for future generations.
Highlighting community-led conservation efforts, the Pochury Hoho said more than 30 Pochury villages had adopted resolutions banning pangolin hunting.
The resolutions impose a fine of Rs 50,000 on offenders involved in hunting or illegal wildlife trade, the organisation said.
The Pochury Hoho said the collective effort reflected the community’s commitment to protecting wildlife, culture and traditions, adding that the Pangolin Cup strengthened the conservation message and reinforced the shared responsibility of safeguarding natural heritage.
Wildlife Trust of India Joint Director Sunil Kyarong said pangolins played a vital ecological role and were part of the region’s natural heritage.
He said WTI had worked with communities across Northeast India for 25 years, drawing lessons from successful initiatives such as Amur falcon conservation in Nagaland.
By combining community awareness, locally driven conservation measures and efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade, Kyarong said, the future of pangolins could be secured.
He added that the Pangolin Cup provided an opportunity to unite communities, celebrate culture and promote coexistence between people and wildlife.
WTI, established in 1998, is a conservation organisation working to protect nature, particularly endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments.
The organisation said it had saved more than 50,000 animal lives, trained and equipped over 20,000 frontline forest staff, assisted the government in creating seven protected areas, sensitised 31 lakh children to conservation and supported enforcement agencies in combating wildlife crimes.
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