Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammals, facing extinction due to demand for their scales and meat. Understanding the crisis is the first step toward protecting these remarkable animals.
Trafficked pangolins endure extreme suffering: capture stress, cramped containers, dehydration, and starvation during transport. Mortality rates in transit and captivity are very high. Their specialised diet of ants and termites makes captive feeding nearly impossible, meaning rescued animals often die even with expert care. Surviving animals face lifelong trauma from capture experiences.