Pangolin trade forces Ghana to look at new laws

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Ghana is facing calls to update its laws on wildlife crime after fears the country has become a transit route for the illegal trade in pangolin scales.

More than 31,000 kilograms of scales from the nocturnal mammal have been seized across the world this year, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

In May and June, two major seizures were made in Malaysia, with at least 700 kilograms found to have been shipped through Ghana.

The pangolin's brown scales are made of nothing more than keratin, the same substance as fingernails. /AFP Photo

Massive hauls of the scales have also been made in Uganda, Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

IFAW's Mark Hofberg said most of the scales from Africa were traded to meet demand in Asia, where they are used in traditional medicine.

The docile pangolin, which has thick armour and is also known as a "scaly anteater", is indigenous to parts of Southeast Asia and Africa.

Two of the eight species of pangolin are classed as "critically endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; two are "endangered" and four "vulnerable".

Hofberg suggested the increase in seizures could be a sign the authorities are taking the issue seriously but he said many countries lacked strong laws to punish traffickers.

"For the pangolin trade to be significantly reduced, penalties and conviction rates must be appropriate," he told AFP.

Harsher sanctions "would complement customs efforts" that have led to recent major seizures, he added.

Sold at the roadside

The docile pangolin, which has thick armour, is indigenous to parts of Southeast Asia and Africa. /AFP Photo

The pangolin is a protected animal in Ghana but the head of the Ghana Wildlife Commission, Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah, said tougher legislation was needed.

Current wildlife protection laws were passed in the 1960s and the commission wants them updated to reflect international standards and the global nature of wildlife crime.

Three people were arrested in Ghana in connection with the June seizure in Malaysia.

Government officials believe new laws would stop Ghana becoming a transit point for trafficked animals but there is also concern over local hunting of the pangolin.

Along main highways in Ghana, people can be seen selling live pangolins, which are usually held upside down, unraveled from the tail.

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world with their docile temperament making them easy prey for hunters. /AFP Photo

The animals, which range in size from 30 to 100 centimeters, can sell for about 200 cedi (45 US dollars). Those responsible are usually impoverished.

Wildlife Commission officers typically arrest anyone selling pangolins but Adu-Nsiah suggested a solution may be to buy the animals live from the sellers and re-home them elsewhere.

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Source(s): AFP