Pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammals globally, with both wild-caught and farmed individuals facing severe welfare challenges from capture, transport and keeping conditions.
Pangolin welfare is perhaps uniquely severe among trafficked species — these animals suffer intensely from capture, are essentially impossible to keep alive in captivity for any extended period, and die in very large numbers throughout the trafficking chain. The failure of pangolin farming demonstrates that some species' welfare requirements are incompatible with commercial production regardless of investment. The welfare of individual pangolins is inextricably tied to the elimination of demand for their scales and meat — as long as this demand exists, the trafficking and associated suffering will continue. Conservation approaches that reduce demand through education, legal reform and traditional medicine substitution address the root cause of pangolin welfare crisis.