Wild Pangolin Welfare and Trafficking

Pangolins are the most heavily trafficked wild mammals in the world, facing extinction pressure from poaching and traditional medicine demand.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are threatened, with four listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
An estimated 100,000 or more pangolins are poached annually for their scales and meat
Pangolin scales are made of keratin — the same material as human fingernails — with no proven medicinal value
Trafficked pangolins experience extreme stress, starvation, and dehydration during transport in cramped containers
Pangolins are exceptionally difficult to keep alive in captivity, making rehabilitation and release programmes challenging

Welfare Considerations

The welfare suffering of trafficked pangolins is extreme. Animals captured from the wild are transported in bags or boxes with no food or water for days to weeks. Mortality rates during transport are enormous. Survivors often die in captivity because their specialised diet — live ants and termites — is difficult to replicate. The trafficking chain causes suffering from capture to death for the vast majority of animals involved.

What You Can Do

Donate to pangolin conservation organisations working on anti-poaching, demand reduction, and habitat protection
Avoid traditional medicine products containing pangolin scales or any wildlife products
Support anti-trafficking campaigns and demand stricter enforcement of wildlife trade laws
Raise awareness about pangolin trafficking in your networks — most people are unaware of the scale of the crisis