Earth’s Most Trafficked Mammal

An endangered Sunda pangolin lives at the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Center in Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam. Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark.

Common Name: Pangolins
Scientific Name: Manidae
Diet: Insectivore
Average Life Span: Unknown
Size: 45 inches to 4.5 feet
Weight: 4 to 72 pounds
Current Population Trend: Decreasing

Pangolins are shy and harmless mammals. They are believed to be the world’s most trafficked non-human mammal. Tens of thousands are poached every year. They are killed for their scales, used in traditional Chinese medicine, and for their meat, which is considered a delicacy among some wealthy people in China and Vietnam.

There are eight species of pangolins. Four species are found in Asia: the Chinese pangolin, Sunda pangolin, Indian pangolin, and Philippine pangolin. These are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered. The other four species are found in Africa: the ground pangolin, giant pangolin, white-bellied pangolin, and black-bellied pangolin. These are listed as vulnerable.

All species face population decline due to illegal wildlife trade. In 2016, 186 countries that are party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to ban commercial trade in pangolins. CITES is the treaty that regulates international wildlife trade.

Pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material that makes up fingernails, hair, and horn. Pangolin scales, like rhino horn, have no proven medicinal value. Still, they are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat conditions such as lactation difficulties and arthritis. The scales are usually dried and ground into powder, which is then turned into a pill.

For many years, Asian pangolins were the main targets of poachers and traffickers. As their numbers declined, smugglers turned their attention to African pangolins. In April 2019, Singapore made two record-breaking seizures of pangolin scales in one week. A 14.2-ton shipment and a 14-ton shipment were seized. The total scales came from an estimated 72,000 pangolins. Both shipments originated from Nigeria.

Pangolins are solitary animals and are mostly active at night. While most pangolins live on the ground, some species, like the black-bellied pangolin, also live in trees.

Pangolins vary in size. They can be as small as a large housecat or grow to over four feet in length. Their bodies are covered in keratin scales. These scales give them the nickname "scaly anteater." When threatened, a pangolin rolls into a tight ball, like an armadillo. They can also release a smelly fluid from a gland at the base of their tails as a defense.

Pangolins have long snouts and even longer tongues. They use them to lap up ants and termites. They dig into insect mounds using their powerful front claws. Pangolins can close their ears and nostrils to protect themselves from insect bites while eating.

Although they resemble anteaters and armadillos in appearance and behavior, pangolins are more closely related to carnivorous mammals like bears, cats, and dogs.

The only time pangolins come together is for mating and reproduction. After mating, the male sometimes stays in the den with the mother until the young pangolin becomes independent. Pangolin babies are born with soft scales. These scales harden after two days. The baby rides on its mother’s tail until it is weaned at about three months old. Pangolins reach sexual maturity around two years of age.

A video titled Pangolins: The Most Trafficked Mammal You’ve Never Heard Of explains the global threat to pangolins. Over one million pangolins have been poached in the last decade. All eight species face the risk of extinction. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect the pangolin from illegal hunting and trafficking.

Pangolins are now recognized globally for their vulnerability. Despite being protected by international law, illegal trade continues. Conservation centers, such as the one in Cuc Phuong National Park, play a role in raising awareness and caring for rescued animals.

The continued survival of pangolins depends on enforcement of trade bans, reduction in demand, and public education. Without action, these unique and ancient mammals may disappear forever.