Pangolin Trafficking and Welfare in Transit

Pangolins are the most heavily trafficked wild mammal, suffering extreme welfare harms from capture, transit, and markets.

Key Facts

Over one million pangolins are estimated to have been traded illegally in the past decade
Pangolins curl into a defensive ball when threatened, making them easy for traffickers to collect
Transit conditions include extreme crowding, dehydration, and stress that kill 40 to 60% of animals
All eight pangolin species are listed on CITES Appendix I, prohibiting international commercial trade
Pangolins are extremely difficult to maintain in captivity, making rescue and rehabilitation largely unsuccessful

Welfare Considerations

Pangolin trafficking causes extreme welfare harm at every stage: capture induces acute stress, transit kills a high proportion of individuals, and surviving animals face further stress in markets or captivity. The extremely high mortality rate means that for every pangolin that reaches a market, multiple have died in the supply chain.

What You Can Do

Support anti-trafficking organizations including TRAFFIC and the Pangolin Crisis Fund
Report suspected pangolin trafficking to wildlife crime authorities including CITES MIKE
Avoid traditional medicine products that may contain pangolin scales