Pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammals globally. Illegal trade for meat and scales drives them toward extinction while causing enormous individual welfare harm.
Pangolin welfare is a crisis at individual and species levels. Trafficked pangolins experience capture stress, prolonged poor conditions during transport, and extremely high mortality in captivity from stress-related conditions. The impossibility of successful long-term captivity means trafficking is essentially a death sentence. Conservation efforts focused on stopping trade rather than rescuing individuals are the most welfare-effective approach.