Pangolins are prevalent species that are very shy and have similar sizes like that of a cat or a dog. These are the most trafficked mammals in the world. In the past decade, more than one million pangolins have been poached all over the world. Every year more than ten thousand pangolins are trafficked and killed for their scales. Pangolin scales are used for making Chinese traditional medicine, and its meat is a very popular delicacy enjoyed all over the world, especially in the high-class community in China and Vietnam.
In the Pangolin family, there are eight species of pangolins. Four are found in Asia—Chinese, India, Sunda, and Philippine pangolins—and the IUCN lists them as most endangered. The four African species—the giant pangolin, ground pangolin, white-bellied, and black-bellied—are listed as most endangered. All species are declining in populations because of illegal trade.
Pangolins have long snouts and more so longer tongues. Their tongues are very efficient as they use it to lap up ants and termites, which they dig out from mounds with their powerful front claws. They’re capable of closing their ears and noses to keep ants out when ingesting. Pangolins look and act a lot like anteaters and armadillos; however, they are more closely related to bears, cats, and dogs.
The Fight Against Pangolin Trafficking.
On Tuesday, the Ivory Coast officials burnt three tones of Pangolin Scales. Pangolins rate to be the most trafficked animals on earth. Coast officials captured these scales in 2017 and 2018 and arrested 20 individuals. Recently Beijing announced a ban on the sale and eating of Pangolin due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese and Vietnamese consider pangolin meat a customary delicacy enjoyed all over China and most of Southeast Asia; however, with the high rate of consumption, these species are under threat of extinction. The International Union for Conversation of Nature listed the scaly mammal as species under threat.
“We destroyed an international trafficking system, and burnt 3.6 tonnes of scales,” said Minister of Forests Alain Richard Donwahi.
Fight Against poaching.
The scales seized are worth millions. The government is fighting poaching activities and prevent trafficking of rare and protected species like the Pangolin. Buyers desire the scales of this species to make Chinese herbal medicine in both China and Vietnam. In Asia, for instance, the price is as high as $ 1,000 per kg. Pangolin scales constitute of keratin, the same material that makes up fingernails, hair, and horn in most mammals.
Pangolin scales, just like rhino horn, have no proven medicinal value, yet people use them in making traditional Chinese medicine to help with ailments like lactation problems to arthritis. The scales typically dried and ground up into powder, which may be turned into a pill. In 2016, CITES convention outlawed sales of Pangolins to reduce species exploitation. Researchers estimate that the illegal trafficking of wild animals could generate more than $ 15 billion annually, especially cutting across Asian markets.
“Officials have just seized and burnt three tonnes of Pangolin scales. Cote d’Ivoire seized more than 600 kilograms of elephant ivory since 2017. Police arrested 30 wildlife traffickers and gave harsh penalties,” Richard Bell, a US ambassador to Ivory Coast, commented at the cite.
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