Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammals, with millions killed for their scales used in traditional medicine — creating a welfare and conservation crisis of global proportions.
The pangolin trade inflicts extreme suffering at every stage. Captured animals are subjected to severe stress during transport, often packed tightly in sacks or boxes without food, water, or temperature regulation. Pangolins curl into balls when stressed — a defense mechanism that makes them easy to collect but offers no protection in captivity. Many die before reaching markets from stress, dehydration, and respiratory failure. Those reaching live markets may be killed by scalding or boiling. The trade's persistence despite international bans reflects enforcement failures and persistent demand. Conservation success requires both supply-side enforcement and demand reduction in consuming markets — targeted consumer education in Vietnam and China has shown measurable impact.