Identification of pangolin poaching hotspots to control population decline

Scientists have successfully mapped the genetic journey of the pangolin, the most illegally trafficked mammal in the world. This was achieved by tracing skin samples from both living white-bellied pangolins and those confiscated from illicit markets.

The challenge of disrupting the illegal pangolin trade has been proven: The eight different species, residing in 23 countries, span a collective range of 2.3 million square miles, and people transport their scales around the world to sell as traditional medicine. Typically, traders ship the white-bellied African species to China and other Asian countries.

Now, researchers have developed a powerful new approach that uses genomics to identify poaching and trafficking hotspots. Using these findings and research methods outlined in a study published today in the journal Science, law enforcement agencies can now trace white-bellied pangolin products from the international supply chain to the places in Africa where the animals were poached.

“The genetic screening takes a few days and can accurately locate an animal’s origin to within about 125 miles,” said Thomas Smith, senior study author, evolutionary biologist, and founding director of UCLA’s Center for Tropical Research. “If someone unloads a sack of scales from a ship in Hong Kong, you can take a single scale and determine, for instance, that an animal from near the city of Bata in Equatorial Guinea was the source.

Test finds animal’s origins accurately

The genetic test, which can locate an animal’s origins within approximately 125 miles, takes a few days, according to study author Thomas Smith, an evolutionary biologist and director of the Center for Tropical Research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The team mapped the genome of the white-bellied pangolin and collected 111 specimens from known Central African areas to identify genetically distinct geographic populations. They also sampled genetic material from the skin of pangolins seized in Hong Kong markets. By matching both sources, they identified the most intense poaching areas and traced trade routes.

The study revealed that pangolins are initially sent to Nigeria, the primary regional distribution center, before being transported to markets in countries like China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore. The findings open new avenues for combating international wildlife trade and implementing anti-trafficking measures.

Poaching in Africa shifted eastward

Although Nigeria is a known export hub to Asia, only 4% of animals originate there, according to the study. Poaching in Africa shifted eastward between 2012 and 2018, with skin samples from 2012 often matching those from West African countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana. By 2018, most samples came from Cameroon, particularly along the southern border.

Smith highlighted that the illegal wildlife trade is a $20 billion industry controlled by international cartels. In Africa, a pangolin can be sold for $250, with the majority of profits going to trafficking organizations. It is believed that this trade finances illegal activities such as arms trafficking.

A recent seizure in Singapore uncovered 18 tons of pangolins, indicating the massive scale of animal killings. Jane Tinsman, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the Center for Tropical Research, expressed uncertainty about the remaining population of white-bellied pangolins due to the difficulty of studying them in the wild.

A single recent seizure in Singapore netted 18 tons of pangolin scales, representing “a truly inconceivable number of animals killed,” said UCLA’s Jen Tinsman, the paper’s lead author and a researcher at the Center for Tropical Research.

“We don't know how many white-bellied pangolins are left because they're really hard to study in the wild,” Tinsman said. “But we know this level of harvest is unsustainable, no matter the actual population size.”

Pangolins endangered due to trafficking demand

All eight species of pangolins, four each in Africa and Asia, are endangered. The demand for their skin, meat, and other parts has pushed three Asian species - the Sunda, Philippines, and Chinese pangolins - to the verge of extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. As these Asian species became scarce, traffickers shifted their focus to Africa, particularly the white-bellied pangolin.

Pangolins are primarily used in traditional medicine, despite no proven effectiveness, with a small fraction sold for alluring cuisine.

In the recent study, scientists from UCLA collaborated with global government agencies and research organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and universities in countries like China, Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Czech Republic.

The new research offers hope to the international efforts aimed at ending the killing and trading of the white-bellied pangolin, Tinsman said.

"She said, "The developments in the past couple of years have encouraged us. If enforcement officers in the countries where pangolins are most threatened can get our tracking methods, they could monitor the illegal trade in near real-time and help to shut it down."

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