Pangolins being pushed to extinction by cultural demands in China.



The little-known pangolin: the most hunted species alive.

The pangolin has seen its numbers decimated, earning them the unsavoury accolade as the most endangered species on earth due to the exponential growth of poaching and trafficking in countries where tighter control is needed to prevent their extinction.

 

Exactly what is a pangolin?

Pangolins, dubbed the ‘scaly anteater’, are burrowing mammals with a small head and a broad tail. These humble creatures walk with an awkward gait, making them easy prey for lions, leopards and tigers. To make up for this vulnerability, their overlapping scales form a natural protection against predators but sadly offer no defence against poachers and hunters.

When threatened, they roll up into a ball, covering their faces and underbellies. Remarkably, once rolled, not even a lion can penetrate their armoured bodies.

For further protection, they emit a noxious acid from glands near to their anus to ward off predators but, unlike skunks, they are unable to spray the liquid when attacked.

Their yellowish-brown to dark brown scales are made of keratin – the same substance as human nails and hair.

They have no external ears nor teeth; instead they use their gizzard-like stomachs to grind food, or simply sweep up ants and termites with their sticky tongues that start in their chest cavity and can be longer than their body. This incredible anatomical feat makes up for their dreadful eyesight.

To pass the time, some species can climb trees, gripping branches with their strong, curved claws. Other species can dig a hole large enough for a human to stand up in!

Pangolins give birth to only offspring with twins a rare occurrence.

Females give birth to just one offspring, with twins occasionally being born but even mating isn’t easy: pangolins are sexually dimorphic meaning there are significant differences in weight between males and females.

It is a solitary, reserved nocturnal mammal, with little research into the habits and characteristics. For this reason, they are widely unknown to those outside of conservation circles and rarely seen.

 

You may think that zoos could help to prevent their extinction, but pangolins do not fare well in captivity and have suffered from malnutrition, depression and stress.

 

They are found in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia and with growing demands for their scales in Asia, transport routes are growing across Africa. The difficulties they face as a part of living only adds to their tragic demise.

 

Why is it a poacher’s prize?

Though few have heard of them, pangolins are a popular choice for commercial poachers as their scales are used in traditional medicines, jewellery and high-end food. However, there are no proven benefits to using their scales for medicinal purposes and since they’re made of keratin, they add no additional benefits to extracting keratin from human nails or hair; thus, they are needlessly poached and trafficked.

Pangolin scales are popular across Asia for traditional medicines.

 

Scientists have estimated that 1 million pangolins have been killed in the last decade due to the growing demand for their parts. Four species are now registered by the IUCN as a ‘vulnerable species’ being ‘literally eaten into extinction’. Of the other four species, two are listed at ‘critically endangered’ and two as ‘endangered’.

Alongside this horrific statistic, their habitats are being destroyed in Asia by palm oil production.
 

Increases in popularity of pangolin scales have led to new trafficking routes across Africa.

The demand for pangolin products has grown in China where they are served as a luxury food and independent poachers and crime syndicates have benefitted from this lucrative opportunity. In recent times, Ghana, Uganda, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon have become transport routes of pangolin trafficking with massive hauls confiscated.

On the 3^rd September 2017, due to the severity of their crimes, two Zimbabwean poachers were sentenced to three years in prison, without the option of paying a fine instead, for being in the possession of pangolins.

What steps are being taken?

Many states across Africa have laws prohibiting the capture and trade of pangolins but they are not always upheld due to corruption. Organisations are working with communities and local officials to educate them in the benefits of pangolin conservation and lobby for favourable changes in their laws.

A recent increase in pangolin trafficking in Ghana led to stiffer laws being called for, for criminals caught with pangolin parts. The IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) has also stated that tighter control is needed in countries, like Ghana, where pangolins are brazenly sold live at the side of the road.

Now, organisations like Save Pangolins, Tikki Hywood Trust and United for Wildlife are raising added awareness and using the app Roll with the Pangolins to help their causes.

We also need to raise awareness for the plight of the little-known pangolin. Organisations like the Born Free Foundation and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation are offering pangolin adoptions with great offers – a nifty Christmas gift for family and friends that increases exposure of the pangolins’ predicament .

 

The more awareness we raise; the more likely we are to save them from extinction.