Animals / pangolin-scale-trade
Facts about Pangolin Scale Trade
- 05
African pangolin species, particularly those from West and Central Africa, are heavily targeted to supply demand in Asian markets, especially China and Vietnam.
- 04
In 2019, Chinese authorities seized over 13 tonnes of pangolin scales in a single shipment, one of the largest such seizures ever recorded.
- 03
The pangolin is considered the world's most trafficked wild mammal, with tens of thousands seized by authorities each year.
- 02
Pangolin scales are composed of keratin, the same protein found in human fingernails, yet they are falsely believed in some traditional medicine systems to have medicinal properties.
- 01
All eight pangolin species are listed on CITES Appendix I, giving them the highest level of international trade protection.