Pangolins are the only scaly mammals in the world. Unfortunately they are the most trafficked mammals the world over with about 1 million pangolins estimated to have been poached and trafficked within the last ten years. Their meat is highly desired as a prestigious meal in Asia while their scales are highly demanded to be used for Asian traditional medicines. In Africa, pangolins bushmeat is also highly desired as the meat is considered to be very tasteful. There is therefore high pressure on pangolins to supply the demand for meat and scales both in Africa and Asia.
There are eight species of pangolins in the world, four species occur in Asia and four in Africa with all four Africa species (the giant pangolin; Smutsia gigantean, termminck’s pangolin; Smutsia terminckii, the white-bellied pangolin; Phataginus tricuspis; and the black-bellied pangolin; Phataginuste tradactyla) present in Central Africa.
The populations of Asian pangolins have dwindled rapidly due to high level of poaching and traffickers are increasingly turning to Africa to source for pangolins to supply the Asian demand. Due to the increasing threat to wild populations of pangolin posed by pangolin trafficking, all 8 extant species are listed in Appendix I of CITES, prohibiting all international trade in pangolins or their parts and all African species are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list.
There is need for national, regional and international coordination to address pangolin trafficking and bring traffickers to Justice
There is need to prioritize actions for pangolin conservation within Central Africa
The pangolin bushmeat trade needs to be stopped
There is need to prioritize and protect pangolin strongholds
There is need for leadership to treat pangolin crime as serious crime
There is need for more research on pangolins
Giant pangolin (Credit: MENTOR-POP)
White-bellied pangolin (Credit: MENTOR-POP)