Chinese customs has seized over three tons of illegally trafficked pangolin scales hiding among a wood shipment from Nigeria that arrived in a port in Shanghai.
Pangolins are highly endangered, anteater-like animals that are covered in hard golden scales. Those unique features have brought them under threat from human poachers.
The small mammals — found across both Africa and Asia — are considered one of the most poached animals on Earth. This is because their meat is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world and their crushed scales are used in folk remedies for a wide range of diseases. The scales are made of keratin — the same substance that makes up fingernails and rhino horns.
The recent seizure is the largest single shipment ever found by authorities. It accounts for between 5,000 and 7,5000 poached pangolins and would have sold for over $2 million on the black market. While this is a big win for conservationists, officials are not sure if the size of the cargo means that recent efforts to stop pangolin poaching are not working or that the search methods are becoming more effective.
Earlier this year, United Nations wildlife officials voted to ban trade on all eight species of pangolin. However, many believe that more measures need to be taken to save the species. Not only have populations already fallen dangerously low, many countries still allow hunting and trade within their own borders.
“Hopefully [the ban] will be followed by increased resources and attention being devoted to saving this well armored – but utterly [defenseless] – and wholly unique species,” said Jeff Flocken, the North American regional director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), according to The Christian Science Monitor.
Data estimates from the World Wildlife Fund show that between 116,990 and 233,980 pangolins have been killed in the last ten years — and that does not include the various shipments of meat and scales not found by authorities. As a result, it is reasonable to assume that over 1 million pangolins have been killed within the last decade.
While it will be hard to determine if the recent UN vote effectively lowers illegal pangolin trade, researchers believe progress can be made if businesses, governments, and conservation groups come together to stop poaching at the source.
“Poachers who take ivory are increasingly getting caught with pangolin scales as well,” Aurélie Flore Koumba Pambo, scientific coordinator at Gabon’s national parks, told The New York Times in September. “If we continue to postpone strengthening of pangolin protection, we will find ourselves in a position where all African pangolin species disappear from our ecosystems forever.”
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Joseph Scalise
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