Wild pangolins face an extinction crisis driven by poaching for scales and meat, making them the world's most trafficked mammals and a critical conservation and welfare priority.
Trafficked pangolins experience extreme suffering from capture through transport and destination markets. Their defensive ball-rolling response makes them helpless against human hunters. Once captured, pangolins are kept in cramped conditions for days to weeks with no food, water, or appropriate temperature regulation. Their extreme stress sensitivity means mortality during transport is extremely high. Those reaching destination markets are often boiled or roasted alive, as live sale commands premium prices. The welfare case for pangolin protection is acute and immediate. Supporting anti-trafficking enforcement, community conservation programs, and demand reduction in consumer markets addresses both conservation and welfare goals simultaneously.