Wildlife Trade

Pangolin: The World's Most Trafficked Wild Mammal

All eight species of pangolin are threatened by poaching for their scales and meat, making them the most heavily trafficked wild mammals on Earth.

Key Facts

Estimated 1 million pangolins have been trafficked in the last decade
Scales are used in traditional medicine despite being made of keratin (same as fingernails)
Both Asian and African species are heavily poached
Pangolins curl into a ball when threatened — which makes them easy to pick up and poach
CITES Appendix I: all commercial international trade is banned

Welfare Considerations

Captured pangolins are often transported live in cramped, stressful conditions over long distances. Their defensive curl becomes a liability — they cannot escape handlers. Stress, dehydration, and injury during transport cause significant suffering before slaughter. Pangolin rehabilitation is extremely difficult.

What You Can Do

Never purchase pangolin scales or traditional medicines containing them
Support Save Pangolins and African Pangolin Working Group
Report suspected pangolin trafficking to wildlife crime hotlines
Advocate for stronger enforcement of CITES trade bans