Wild Pangolin Trafficking: The Most Traded Mammal

Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammals, with all eight species facing population collapse from poaching for their scales and meat, causing immense individual suffering and rapid species decline.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are listed on CITES Appendix I, prohibiting international commercial trade since 2016
An estimated one million pangolins were poached and trafficked between 2000 and 2013 — numbers have likely increased since
Pangolins are prized for their scales, used in traditional medicine despite no evidence of medical efficacy
Four African and four Asian pangolin species are all threatened, with Sunda and Chinese pangolins Critically Endangered
Pangolins are highly specialised and stress-sensitive — they rarely survive in captivity beyond a few weeks after capture
Animals captured alive for trafficking experience severe stress, dehydration, and physical injury from capture and transport
Pangolins can curl into a ball for protection — traffickers exploit this by packaging multiple curled pangolins in small containers
Captive pangolins that survive initial stress often die from secondary infections, respiratory disease, or failure to eat
Nigeria and Cameroon are the primary export hubs for African pangolin scales destined for Asian markets
Demand reduction campaigns in Vietnam and China have shown some effectiveness in reducing consumer appetite

Welfare Considerations

Pangolins trafficked from wild populations suffer acutely at every stage of the supply chain — capture, transport, storage, and slaughter. Their extreme sensitivity to stress means that even animals that survive the journey to market die shortly after in captivity. The welfare cost is compounded by the impossibility of rescue and rehabilitation — there are no viable sanctuaries for pangolins, and almost no captive individuals survive long enough to be released. Preventing trafficking before capture is the only effective welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support Save Pangolins, African Pangolin Working Group, and TRAFFIC in their anti-trafficking work
Never purchase pangolin scales, meat, or products containing pangolin derivatives
Report suspected pangolin trafficking to TRAFFIC or relevant wildlife crime authorities
Advocate for strong enforcement of CITES protections and domestic wildlife trafficking legislation
Support demand reduction campaigns in countries where pangolin products are consumed
Spread awareness about the pangolin trafficking crisis — consumer education is a key intervention lever