Pangolin: the most trafficked mammal in the world

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World Animal Protection(WAP) and researchers at Oxford University captured appalling footage that reveals the horrible moment a pangolin is brutally slaughtered for its scales and meat to be sold on the black market in Assam, northeast India.

A rescued pagolin in China. /VCG Photo

In the video, a terrified pangolin is smoked out of the tree hole which it tries to hide itself, hit with machetes, and then thrown into boiling water to have its scales removed.

This alarming footage and the 12-page report WAP released raises serious concerns over this gentle insect-eating creature's well-being and is often referred to as the world's most trafficked mammal.

Insatiable demand

Poachers flourish in northeast India due to increasing demand for pangolin body parts. In many Asian traditions, the scales of a pangolin are believed to have extraordinary medicinal values, such as improving blood circulation, curing skin disorders and infections, as well as treating impotence and infertility. In some cultures, the scales are also used as decoration or jewelry and the meat is considered a delicacy.

Seized pangolin scales in the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC). /VCG Photo

Scientists have found no proven medicinal values from the scales of pangolins since they are made of keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails and hair. And some studies even show that consuming these scales might cause bloating, jaundice, and liver damage.

The grand profit

According to the report, there were 1,270 reported seizures in 67 countries and territories across six continents between 2010 and 2015.

A seized pangolin skin in Ivory Coast. /VCG Photo

Commercial trade of pangolins is illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act in India, and poaching is punishable by imprisonment of up to six years along with a fine. It has also been banned globally since 2016 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international trade agreement signed by 183 countries.

However, illegal trade and poaching thrives among the poorest populations of the world despite these regulations. All eight species of pangolin are facing extinction in the 51 countries they are native to.

In 2017, 101 smuggled pangolins were seized in Indonesia at a total worth of 1.5 million dollars. /VCG Photo

The most tempting reason for these pangolin hunters is the considerable profit generated by every single pangolin. The scales can be sold as medicine for up to $450 per kilogram. After interviewing 141 male hunters from 31 villages in Assam, the research team revealed that the sale of one pangolin can be equivalent to a full year's income to an Assam hunter.

An endangered species

Pangolins live solitarily in hollow trees and burrows. Known as the only scaled mammal in the world, this shy creature has a significant role in pest control because its favorite food are termites and ants. It is estimated that each pangolin can eat up to 70 million insects each year.

The pangolin is the only known scaled mammal. /VCG Photo

Poaching, habitat loss due to deforestation, and low reproduction rates have led to the rapid decrease in the pangolin population. They are not suitable for life in captivity due to their highly-selective diet and weak immune system. While their lifespan can reach up to around 20 years in the wild, they generally die within three years in captivity, and the mortality rate can be as high as 70 percent in the first year.

The long snout of the pangolin allows it to eat insects in the soil. /VCG Photo

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, out of the world's eight pangolin species, four are listed as vulnerable, two are listed as endangered, and the other two, critically endangered.

Take action now

The vulnerability of the pangolin is equivalent to its precious values to our environment. NGOs around the world have called for stronger law enforcement to combat the illegal global trade of pangolins, and the miserable suffering they endure.

A pangolin is looking out in a smugglers cage. /VCG Photo

Since the insatiable demand for pangolins is the main reason that encourages cruel slaughter of the species in impoverished areas, World Animal Protection also proposes to the Asian medicine communities to find other herbal and synthetic alternatives and remove pangolins from the traditional medicinal industry.