Increased law enforcement is required at all points of the illegal trade to help save the pangolin. Currently, just 17 pangolin-range states have enacted legislation that meets CITES requirements 31 states have not. On January 2, 2017, the listing went into effect, banning the commercial trade of all eight pangolin species and their parts.īut implementation is another story. In 2016, pangolins were finally given the highest level of protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (or CITES), moving from Appendix II to Appendix I. Upgrading the pangolin’s protection status The total shipment was worth an estimated USD $38.7 million. The scales were packed in 230 bags alongside almost 400 pounds of carved elephant ivory. A 40-foot container labeled as “frozen beef” was on its way to Vietnam from Nigeria before Singapore customs flagged the suspicious shipment. Nearly 12 tonnes of pangolin scales were seized in Singapore in April 2019 - representing 36,000 killed pangolins. Authorities arrested a 39-year-old owner of a Hong Kong trading company and his 29-year-old employee in connection with the crime. The cargo ship originated from Nigeria, and the illegal goods were valued at almost USD$ 8 million it was the largest wildlife product seizure ever in Hong Kong. The contraband was concealed under slabs of frozen meat on a cargo ship headed towards Vietnam. In a January 2019 bust, officers found 8 tonnes of pangolin scales - estimated to come from more than 14,000 pangolins - and over 1,000 elephant tusks at a Hong Kong customs facility. The total haul was worth at least USD$ 2 million. They also seized two bear paws and four flying fox carcasses. Authorities found nearly 30 metric tonnes of pangolin products, including 1,800 boxes of frozen pangolins, an additional 572 pangolins frozen separately, 61 live pangolins, and 361 kilograms of pangolin scales. The largest pangolin bust on record happened in February 2019 in East Malaysia’s Sabah state of Borneo. Illegal wildlife trade puts pangolins at risk People believe the scales cure arthritis and cancer, promote breast-feeding for lactating mothers, improve poor circulation, and even enhance male vitality - despite no scientific backing for any of these “cures.” In fact, pangolin scales are made of keratin - the same material in human fingernails. The scales are in high demand for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Although pangolins are a protected species in China, there is a thriving black market for pangolin meat and especially for scales, which account for 20 percent of body weight. Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world - poachers kill as many as 2.7 million African pangolins every year. Poachers simply pick pangolins up and drop them into a bag. Their armor-plated scales can cut and inflict serious wounds on a lion, leopard, or hyena - but are no match for a weapon-wielding human. Poaching also is a dire threat: Pangolins are slow-moving and will roll themselves into a ball if they feel threatened - making them easy targets. In areas of accelerated human population growth, habitat loss is a grave threat for pangolins. All eight species, four found on each continent, are decreasing in population and are at risk of extinction.Pangolins have seen a rapid decline in their population in the last several decades. The pangolin, a shy and scaly animal, resembles an armadillo and is found in both Africa and Asia. The world’s most trafficked mammal may vanish before many people have ever heard of it. She is passionate about using storytelling and compelling content to convey the value and s. She oversees the development of articles and other content for AWF print marketing products such as the annual report. Jacqueline Conciatore is African Wildlife Foundation's Writer & Editorial Manager.
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