Wildlife

Wild Pangolin Trafficking Welfare Crisis

Pangolins are the most trafficked wild animals in the world, suffering extreme welfare harm from capture, transport, and slaughter.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are protected under CITES Appendix I
An estimated one million pangolins were trafficked in the decade to 2019
Pangolins curl into balls when threatened making them easy to collect
They die rapidly in captivity from stress and dietary failure

Welfare Considerations

Trafficked pangolins experience extreme stress from capture, confinement, and transport. Their stress physiology makes them highly vulnerable to capture myopathy and rapid death. Animals that survive transport often die in captivity. The trade causes enormous welfare harm and threatens all eight species.

What You Can Do

Never purchase pangolin products including scales or meat
Support anti-trafficking enforcement in pangolin source and transit countries
Donate to pangolin conservation and anti-poaching organizations
Advocate for demand reduction campaigns in traditional medicine markets