Pangolin Welfare and Illegal Trade

Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammal, hunted to near-extinction for scales and meat. Their welfare in trade is severely compromised, and captive rehabilitation is extremely challenging.

Key Facts

All eight pangolin species are threatened - four are Critically Endangered
An estimated one million pangolins were trafficked in the decade to 2014
They are highly specialised myrmecophages - they eat only ants and termites
Pangolins in captivity rarely survive beyond a few weeks without species-appropriate care
Their scales are made of keratin - the same material as human fingernails
CITES banned international commercial trade in 2017 but domestic trade in some countries continues

Welfare Considerations

Pangolin welfare in the illegal trade is extremely poor. These are nocturnal, solitary animals that curl into a ball when threatened - a defence mechanism that makes them easy to collect but exposes them to prolonged captive stress. Pangolins deprived of live ant colonies to forage in rapidly lose condition and die. The stress of capture, transport, and holding causes rapid physiological deterioration even before slaughter. Captive rehabilitation for pangolins displaced from their habitat is one of the hardest conservation challenges - requiring specialist expertise and access to appropriate ant species. Demand reduction in consumer markets is the most effective welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Never purchase pangolin products including scales and pangolin meat
Support Save Pangolins and African Pangolin Working Group conservation work
Advocate for stronger enforcement against pangolin trafficking in consumer countries
Back demand reduction campaigns in China and Vietnam targeting pangolin consumers
Report pangolin trafficking intelligence to TRAFFIC and law enforcement authorities