Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal with almost no chance of survival if removed from the wild. With global trends indicating an increasing number of seizures and only an estimated 50,000 pangolins still in existence, protection of this species is growing all the more important. How many Chinese pangolins are left in the wild?
It’s unknown exactly how many pangolins are left in the wild, but scientists have classified the four Asian species as endangered or critically endangered, meaning they face a very high risk of extinction.
How long can a pangolin live for?
Young pangolins are soft-scaled at birth and are carried on the female’s back for some time. Life span in the wild is unknown; however, some captive animals have lived as long as 20 years. A pangolin rolled into a ball presenting erected scales to the enemy.
Why are Chinese pangolin endangered?
Restaurants selling pangolin dishes abound in the Vietnamese cities. The skin is served in such dishes as stir-fried pangolin skin with onion and mushroom. And the fetus is eaten as an aphrodisiac. Pangolin scales are sold in plain view in the street markets., and more items.
Humans are the one predator that pangolins have little defense against. Against its natural predators, big cats like lions, tigers and leopards, pangolins can curl up into balls as the following picture shows: Looks like a bad day at the office for this pangolin. Curling up in a ball allows their tough scales to protect them from being eaten.
What is a pangolin and why are they trafficked?
The animals are trafficked mainly for their scales, which are believed to treat a variety of health conditions in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and as a luxury food in Vietnam and China. In Africa, pangolins are sold as a form of bushmeat, for ritual or spiritual purposes, and use in traditional African medicine.