Students engaged in the interactive sessions.
Meluri, October 31 (MExN): A football tournament in Phek district, Nagaland has become an unlikely platform for wildlife conservation, with over 1,000 locals turning up to cheer for the cause and the state forest department appealing for collective action to protect the Chinese Pangolin, a threatened species.
The second edition of the Pangolin Cup 2026, hosted by the Meluri Range Sports Association with support from the Nagaland Forest Department, Pangolin Crisis Fund and Serenity Trust, concluded with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) reaching out to around 620 students from St Xavier’s School and Christian Higher Secondary School through drawing competitions, lectures and interactive workshops.
A press release received here stated that Tokaho Kinimi, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Phek, said Meluri is a blessed village and fortunate to share its habitat with the pangolin, a threatened species that plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance.
Describing pangolins as defenceless creatures unable to fight for their own survival, he said the growing impact of illegal wildlife trade has drastically reduced their numbers. “It is therefore our responsibility to protect them,” he said, while appreciating WTI for its proactive approach in reaching out to the Forest Department.
Makezho, Executive Chairman, Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC), highlighted the community’s traditional connection with pangolins. He said the Yimkhiung tribe has shared a close relationship with pangolins since the time of their forefathers, with traditional beliefs and practices reflecting this deep cultural bond.
During years when the harvest of rock bee honey was poor, ancestors would draw inspiration from the distinctive overlapping patterns of the pangolin’s scales, incorporating them into traditional prayers and beliefs for the return of the bees, he said, appealing to the entire Naga community to come together for conserving pangolins and other wildlife.
Saymanti B, Manager, WTI, said that since its conservation journey began in Manipur in 2023, the organisation has witnessed the power of community trust and collective action. The Tangkhul Naga community, along with 242 villages, took a remarkable step by adopting resolutions to protect pangolins and introducing fines for offences against them, a commitment that extended to the protection of hornbills and gibbons, she said. She extended WTI’s gratitude to the Pochury Hoho for its resolution and commitment towards pangolin conservation.
Monesh Singh Tomar, the project lead from WTI, said over the past six days the Meluri Local Ground witnessed immense support for the playing teams and served as an incredible platform to spread awareness about the species. More than 1,000 locals were present across the tournament, he said, hoping that the effort and the love for football translates into impactful conservation action by the community.
The closing day featured special performances by local artists, including the Meluri Area Public Organisation (MAPO), The Jessami Village, Lingling, Lepenlo Thurrr and Litsuku Lohe. Atsiatho Nyuthe, captain of the winning team, said the Pangolin Cup has been more than a football tournament and an opportunity to raise awareness about wildlife conservation, particularly the protection of pangolins, which face serious threats from illegal hunting and trafficking. “As players, the belief is football teaches discipline, leadership, teamwork and respect and we will expand the same towards protecting species like the pangolin,” he said.
WTI’s Countering Pangolin Trafficking Project across the Indo-Myanmar Border aims to strengthen wildlife crime enforcement and improve collaboration with local communities through sensitisation and public engagement activities like the Pangolin Cup. The team has been working with various ethnic groups in the landscape while simultaneously helping build the capacity of enforcement officials.
