Wildlife

Pangolin Welfare and the Illegal Trade

Pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammal globally, with all eight species threatened by hunting for meat and scales used in traditional medicine.

Key Facts

An estimated 1 million pangolins were trafficked between 2000 and 2013, with numbers continuing to rise
Pangolins curl into a protective ball when threatened — making them easy to pick up and capture by poachers
Pangolins die rapidly in captivity from stress and inability to adapt to captive conditions
CITES Appendix I listing in 2016 banned international commercial trade but domestic trade continues in some countries

Welfare Considerations

Pangolins experience acute stress from capture and handling, and nearly universally die within weeks of captivity — making seizure and rehabilitation essentially futile. Their primary welfare need is protection from capture. Individual pangolins in the illegal trade suffer and die; effective welfare protection means enforcement that keeps them in the wild.

What You Can Do

Support Stop Pangolin Trafficking and Pangolin Conservation through donations
Advocate for strong enforcement of CITES Appendix I protections for all pangolin species
Never use or encourage use of traditional medicine products containing pangolin scales
Support demand reduction campaigns targeting traditional medicine markets in Asia
Engage with range state governments about law enforcement capacity for pangolin protection