Over 330 tonnes of pangolins seized from poachers since 2015, says Traffic

PETALING JAYA: More than 330 tonnes of the world's most trafficked mammal - pangolins - and their parts have been seized in Asia from 2015 to 2021, say the wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic.

The Traffic rapid analysis of confiscations in the region, released on Saturday (Feb 19) in conjunction with World Pangolin Day, showed that 91% of the total volume seized in Asia since 2015 was in mainland China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

A total of 1,141 seizure incidents in Asia from 2015-2021 involved both African and Asian pangolin species, where more than half the weight of pangolins and parts seized in Asia originated from Africa.

This, it said, indicated the continued capture of pangolins in Africa to feed the Asian demand for pangolin scales for traditional medicine.

"Pangolins are seized whole, both dead or alive, and also as parts and therefore the actual volumes could be higher since the weights of seizures are not always made public," it said.

From 2017 to 2019, Traffic reported that more than 609 confiscations occurred in Asia, accounting for some of the largest confiscations, with a total of 244,600kg of scales and 10,971 individual animals.

Traffic's senior analyst for Southeast Asia, Ramacandra Wong said Asia’s pangolin traffickers are relentless, and the damage being done is not just to Asia’s four endangered pangolin species.

"The illegal trade and an insatiable demand for pangolins continue to drain wild pangolin populations in Africa too,” she said.

Traffic said pangolin seizures dipped in more recent years – from 2020-2021 – with some 233 seizure incidents recorded involving 13,389kg of scales and 247 individual animals due to shutdowns and global disruptions in the movement of products as a result of Covid-19, rather than an actual reduction in poaching levels.

Traffic Southeast Asia director Kanitha Krishnasamy warned that trafficking levels of pangolins may rise when borders reopen and international commerce picks up.

“What remains crucial – and wanting – are a crackdown on criminal groups and open wildlife markets that operate with impunity and holding consumers accountable for illegal purchases while working to reduce consumers demand at the same time," she said.

Traffic said India is also seeing a rise in poaching and illegal trade as the country had the greatest number of seizures in Asia from 2015 to 2021.

"The frequency of pangolin seizures has spiked in recent years. Close to 70% of India’s 287 seizures occurred from 2019-2021," it noted.

Traffic India head Saket Badola warned that should the high level of poaching and trade continue, the Indian Pangolin, Manis crassicaudata, may also be added to the "Critically Endangered" list, similar to its other Asian counterparts.

Asia’s three other pangolin species are already classified as Critically Endangered due to the illegal trade threats.

Traffic said since 2019, all pangolin species have been prohibited from commercial international trade but criminal networks continue to source and traffic pangolins in alarming numbers.

Traffic has also called on Asian governments to take action against poachers, traffickers, open markets and relentless consumer demand in order to give pangolins a chance at survival.