Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, with millions seized from illegal trade networks that subject them to extreme stress, overcrowding, and high mortality during transport.
Pangolins respond extremely poorly to captivity, entering shock states characterized by immobility and refusal to eat. Trafficked pangolins arrive severely dehydrated, injured from overcrowded containers, and psychologically stressed. Their survival in any captive setting — including wildlife rehabilitation — requires highly specialized care that is rarely available at seizure points. The welfare cost of every trafficked pangolin is enormous, and the majority die before reaching their intended market.