Wild Pangolin Trafficking and Welfare Crisis

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world. The welfare harms of capture, transit, and captivity make pangolin trafficking one of the most urgent wildlife welfare emergencies globally.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are threatened, with four classified as critically endangered due primarily to trafficking
Pangolins are trafficked for their scales used in traditional medicine and their meat as a luxury food
An estimated one million pangolins were trafficked in the decade 2007 to 2016
Captured pangolins curl into a ball when threatened, making them easy to collect and transport
Pangolins have highly specialized diets of ants and termites and almost universally die in captivity within weeks
Smuggled pangolins endure extreme stress, dehydration, and injury during transit with very high mortality
The 2020 CITES uplisting of all pangolin species to Appendix I provides legal protection but enforcement remains weak

Welfare Considerations

Pangolin trafficking causes some of the most severe wildlife welfare harms of any trade because the combination of extreme stress during capture, prolonged and cramped transit conditions, and near-universal captive mortality means that virtually every pangolin that enters the trade suffers intensely before dying. Their defensive ball-curling behavior, evolved to protect against natural predators, makes them completely helpless against human collectors. Their specialized dietary requirements make rehabilitation and release extremely challenging even for dedicated rescue centers. Ending pangolin trafficking requires demand reduction in consumer markets, strong enforcement of trade bans, and community engagement with local populations in range countries.

What You Can Do

Never purchase pangolin products including scales, meat, or products containing pangolin-derived ingredients
Support Save Pangolins and similar organizations working on anti-trafficking enforcement and demand reduction
Advocate for stronger penalties and enforcement for pangolin trafficking in both range and consumer countries
Donate to rehabilitation centers working on pangolin rescue and release programs in range countries
Raise awareness about pangolin trafficking as the most severe and often overlooked wildlife welfare crisis