World’s most trafficked mammal loses one animal every 3 minutes

Posted on by Tania Griffin

It is reported that, globally, one pangolin is poached every three minutes either for illegal bushmeat use or to supply scales to the Asian market.

In early February this year, China submitted a Pangolin Conservation In China proposal to the 78th Meeting of the UN CITES Standing Committee, outlining its intention to reduce the use of pangolin scales in traditional medicine. The submission projected a 90% decrease in pharmaceutical and hospital use of pangolin scales by 2026 and at least a 50% drop in overall medicinal use, and sets an annual consumption quota of approximately 1 metric tonne – a drastic reduction from the 25 metric tonnes allowed between 2008 and 2015.

While this represents significant progress, conservationists worry that even a 1-tonne quota could still fuel illegal trafficking, further endangering the species.

Although the international commercial trade of pangolins was banned in 2016 under UN CITES and Chinese pangolins are protected by law, China still permits the use of pangolin scales in traditional Chinese medicine from a ‘stockpile’. Authorities have refused to reveal the extent of this stockpile or its rate of use, causing concern that scales from poached pangolins continue to be traded ‘legally’.

Some countries are making progress in pangolin protection. Nigeria has taken significant steps to combat the illegal trade of pangolin scales through legislative measures and enforcement. In early 2024, the country introduced the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill which, if enacted, would impose harsher penalties for trafficking in illegal wildlife products such as pangolin scales.

Since 2014, pangolins have been the world’s most trafficked mammal, yet they reproduce very slowly and their populations are unknown. They remain largely unknown to the public with conservation efforts critically underfunded. Many South Africans don’t know what pangolins are and are unaware that pangolins not only exist in our country but are also rapidly disappearing before our eyes.

There are eight pangolin species across the globe, four of which are native to Africa. The species are all in trouble – ranging from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered conservation statuses.

The Temminck’s pangolin (pictured), one of Africa’s four species, inhabits southern and East Africa, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and as far as South Sudan. This species, classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, continues to face a significant population decline, projected at 30%–40% over the next three generations, due primarily to exploitation for traditional medicine and bushmeat.

In South Africa, the Temminck’s pangolin is the country’s only indigenous species. They are the only mammals covered in scales instead of fur, and it is these scales that make them desirable to poachers.

In Southeast Asia, pangolin scales are used in so-called ‘medical elixirs’ to treat ailments ranging from asthma to arthritis. They are also sought after for their meat, which is considered a delicacy.

In Africa, pangolins are often hunted and consumed in the illegal bushmeat trade.

It is unknown how many pangolins are left in South Africa; however, the African Pangolin Networking Group reported that between January and August 2023, authorities seized approximately 30 pangolins in the country, most of them from Limpopo Province, a known hot spot for pangolin poaching.

Peter Knights OBE, CEO of Wild Africa, says: “We hope China will quickly phase out all use of pangolin scales, as there are a number of alternatives in traditional medicine and the source of the scales has never been transparent. We also need more awareness and better law enforcement in Africa to keep it off illegal bushmeat menus.”

Nicci Wright, co-chair of the African Pangolin Working Group, explains: “Temminck’s pangolins are incredibly elusive, making it very difficult to determine their population in South Africa. As small, nocturnal and burrow-dwelling animals, they are rarely seen and difficult to study in the wild.

“Unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped traffickers, and over the past decade the illegal trade in these pangolins has steadily increased. In response, dedicated law enforcement teams have been conducting intelligence-led sting operations, successfully rescuing hundreds of live pangolins and securing convictions under the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA, Act 10 of 2004), with some traffickers receiving the maximum 10-year sentence.

“South Africa can be seen as a key transit hub for the illegal pangolin trade in southern Africa, with many pangolins being smuggled in from neighbouring countries to be sold here. However, we still have no reliable data on how many pangolins are smuggled out of South Africa. Seizures in Asia continue to uncover scales from all four African pangolin species, including Temminck’s pangolin, highlighting the ongoing threat they face.”

Consuming up to 70 million ants and termites per year, pangolins play a crucial role in natural pest control. Beyond their ecological importance, pangolins are deeply woven into cultural traditions. In Africa, the pangolin is seen as a symbol of wisdom and good fortune. They are known as the ‘wise old man’ of the bush who carries the secrets of 85 million years of evolution that could end in a single human lifespan.

Pangolins remain under-appreciated and underprotected and are in urgent need of global attention and support.

How you can help:

  • If you witness pangolin-related wildlife crime in South Africa, report it to the Environmental Incidents and Crime Hotline Number on 0800 205 005.
  • Visit national parks, many of which provide permanent sanctuary for rehabilitated pangolins.
  • Protect the habitat in which these species live.

Educate yourself and advocate for pangolins:

Image credit: African Pangolin Working Group

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