Wild Pangolin Conservation and Anti-Poaching

Pangolins are the world's most trafficked wild mammals, hunted to near-extinction across Africa and Asia for their scales and meat.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are protected under CITES but remain the most trafficked mammals globally
Over a million pangolins were estimated to have been trafficked in the decade before 2019
Pangolin scales are keratin, identical in composition to human fingernails, yet are used in traditional medicine
They are the only mammals fully covered in scales, which they raise as defense against predators
Pangolins eat exclusively ants and termites and cannot survive in captivity without specialized care
Most pangolins die within months of capture due to stress, dietary failure, and respiratory infection
China and Vietnam removed pangolins from their traditional medicine pharmacopoeia in 2020, a major step

Welfare Considerations

Pangolin trafficking causes extreme welfare harm. Captured animals experience severe stress during transport, often stacked in bags without food, water, or space. Mortality during trafficking is high. Those that reach markets often die before sale from stress and starvation. The species' biological sensitivity makes them essentially impossible to rehabilitate after trafficking, meaning captured individuals rarely survive. Prevention through anti-poaching is the only effective welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support African Pangolin Working Group and similar organizations combating pangolin trafficking
Advocate for tougher penalties for pangolin trafficking across range and consumer countries
Never purchase products containing pangolin scales or meat in any form
Support demand reduction campaigns targeting traditional medicine markets in Asia
Donate to anti-poaching programs protecting pangolins in African and Asian range countries
Learn about pangolin ecology and spread awareness of this unique and critically endangered mammal