World Pangolin Day 2024: Celebrating most trafficked mammal in the world

On February 17, 2024, people around the world will celebrate World Pangolin Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness and support for the conservation of pangolins, the most trafficked mammal in the world. Pangolins are scaly-skinned mammals feeding ants and termites and can roll up into a ball when threatened. They are found in Asia and Africa, where they face severe threats from poaching, illegal trade and habitat loss.

Date, History and Significance

World Pangolin Day is observed on the third Saturday of February every year since 2012. The day was initiated by the Annamiticus, a wildlife conservation organization, to draw attention to the plight of pangolins and to mobilize action to protect them from extinction.

The day is also supported by various conservation groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Pangolin Crisis Fund, and the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online.

The significance of World Pangolin Day is to highlight the importance of pangolins for the ecosystem and the culture of the people who share their habitats. Pangolins are vital for controlling insect populations, maintaining soil health, and providing food and income for local communities.

Pangolins are also revered as symbols of good luck, fertility, and protection in some cultures. However, pangolins are also exploited for their meat and scales, which are in high demand in Asian markets, where they are used for food and medicine. Pangolins are also hunted for their skins, which are made into leather products.

How many are left in the world?

It is difficult to estimate the exact number of pangolins left in the world, as they are elusive and secretive animals that are hard to monitor in the wild. However, based on the available data, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified all eight species of pangolins as threatened with extinction.

The four Asian species, namely the Chinese pangolin, the Sunda pangolin, the Indian pangolin, and the Philippine pangolin, are listed as critically endangered, meaning they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. The four African species, namely the giant pangolin, the white-bellied pangolin, the black-bellied pangolin, and the Temminck’s pangolin, are listed as endangered or vulnerable, meaning they face a very high or high risk of extinction in the wild.

According to a study by Challender, an estimated 895,000 pangolins were poached from Africa and Asia between 2000 and 2019, based on the analysis of seizure data. However, this number is likely to be an underestimate, as many cases of poaching and trafficking go undetected or unreported.

The study also projected that the global pangolin population declined by 51.6% between 2000 and 2019, and will decline by another 51.6% between 2019 and 2038, if the current trends continue.

Pangolin endangered

Pangolins are endangered mainly because of the illegal trade in their meat and scales, which is driven by the demand in Asian markets, especially China and Vietnam. Pangolin meat is considered a delicacy and a status symbol, while pangolin scales are used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, and impotence.

However, there is no scientific evidence to support the medicinal value of pangolin scales, which are made of keratin, the same substance as human hair and nails. Pangolin scales are also used to make jewelry, amulets, and charms.

Pangolins are also endangered by habitat loss and degradation, which are caused by human activities such as agriculture, logging, mining, infrastructure development, and urbanization. These activities reduce the availability and quality of food and shelter for pangolins, and expose them to human disturbance and predation. Pangolins are also affected by climate change, which alters their habitats and affects their reproduction and survival.

Pangolin trafficking facts

Pangolin trafficking is a serious and widespread crime that involves the illegal capture, transport, sale, and consumption of pangolins and their parts. According to the IFAW, pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, accounting for up to 20% of the global wildlife trade. Here are some facts about pangolin trafficking:

• Pangolin trafficking is a lucrative business, with a kilogram of pangolin scales fetching up to $3,000 on the black market, and a whole pangolin costing up to $1,000 in restaurants.
• Pangolin trafficking is a transnational and organized crime, involving networks of poachers, middlemen, smugglers, traders, and consumers, who use sophisticated methods and routes to evade detection and regulation.
• Pangolin trafficking is a threat to national and international security, as it fuels corruption, violence, terrorism, and money laundering, and undermines the rule of law and governance.
• Pangolin trafficking is a threat to public health, as it increases the risk of zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19, which are transmitted from animals to humans. Pangolins are suspected to be one of the possible intermediate hosts of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, although the exact origin and transmission of the virus are still under investigation.
• Pangolin trafficking is a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services, as it reduces the population and genetic diversity of pangolins, and disrupts the ecological balance and functions of their habitats.

How to help pangolins

There are many ways to help pangolins and stop their extinction, such as:

• Raising awareness and educating others about the plight and value of pangolins, and the dangers and illegality of pangolin trade and consumption.
• Supporting and donating to pangolin conservation organizations and projects, such as the Pangolin Crisis Fund, the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, and the Tikki Hywood Foundation, which work to protect, rescue, rehabilitate, and release pangolins, and to reduce the demand and supply of pangolin products.
• Adopting a pangolin or sponsoring a pangolin ranger through programs such as the WWF Adopt a Pangolin and the African Wildlife Foundation Pangolin Project, which provide funds and resources for pangolin conservation and protection.
• Celebrating and participating in World Pangolin Day and other events and campaigns that promote pangolin awareness and action, such as the World Pangolin Day Challenge, the Pangolin Photo Festival, and the Pangolin Conservation Awards.

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