Pangolin Conservation and Welfare: The World's Most Trafficked Mammal

Pangolins are the most illegally traded mammals on Earth, facing extinction from demand for their scales and meat — a crisis with profound welfare and conservation dimensions.

Key Facts

Eight pangolin species exist across Africa and Asia; all are threatened, with four Asian species classified as critically endangered or endangered
Pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammals globally; an estimated one million were poached between 2000 and 2013
Their scales — made of keratin (the same material as human fingernails) — are used in traditional medicine despite no proven efficacy
Pangolins are notoriously difficult to keep in captivity; stress-related illness makes even temporary captivity during trafficking extremely harmful
They are nocturnal, solitary insectivores that consume ants and termites exclusively — needs almost impossible to meet in captivity
Pangolins curl into a ball when threatened; this defensive behaviour makes them easy to pick up by poachers
Several countries have banned pangolin trade; China removed pangolin scales from its official pharmacopoeia in 2020, a significant demand reduction step

Welfare Considerations

Pangolin welfare during trafficking is catastrophic. Animals captured from the wild experience acute capture stress, then prolonged confinement in conditions — sacks, cramped crates, inadequate temperature and humidity — that are incompatible with their biological needs. Their inability to feed on wild insect colonies means they starve during transit. Many die before reaching markets. Those that survive to destination markets face further confinement before slaughter. Even the rehabilitation of rescued pangolins is extremely challenging due to their dietary specificity and stress sensitivity; successful release requires highly specialised expertise and extensive pre-release preparation. The welfare case against pangolin trafficking is as strong as the conservation case: each trafficked individual experiences severe suffering from capture to death.

What You Can Do

Never purchase pangolin products — scales, meat, or any derivative — regardless of claimed medicinal properties
Support organisations working on pangolin rescue, rehabilitation, and anti-poaching in range countries
Advocate for strong enforcement of CITES protections and national pangolin trade bans
Engage with demand reduction campaigns in consumer markets, particularly in China and Vietnam
Raise awareness that pangolin scales are keratin — chemically identical to human fingernails — with no proven therapeutic value