Watching Maria Diekmann’s story on BBC2 about the plight of the Pangolin and her work to protect them from poaching is another story of how wildlife and endangered species are really under threat from extinction.
The demand for Pangolins coming from Asia is fueling the rise in poaching across Africa and Vietnam and other countries with an estimated 100,000 taken every year. So many of our wild animals are threatened by the demand coming from China so called medicine.
The Chinese believe Pangolin scales are a cure for Cancer and the meat considered a delicacy. This makes this species particularly vulnerable to poaching as the demand is high.
In a major bust six Vietnamese were caught and arrested smuggling over 700 ks of pangolins and pangolin scales from Africa to Vietnam.
The wildlife protection service were told the smugglers had 230 large pangolins and 26 smaller ones heading for Vietnam.
Pangolin smugglers are also linked to trafficking Rhino horn and other endangered species.
The demand for Pangolin in Thailand is increasing. Customs confiscated 136 live Pangolins and 450kg of scales worth $75,000 in 2017.
New Campaign launched in China – Let Pangolins Live
Maggie Q is a famous young Chinese model and has put herself on a new campaign to connect with young Chinese generation to save the Pangolin.
Ambassadors like Jackie Chan will help the cause enormously as having a high profile Chinese star should have an effect on.
Pangolin protected under International law
In 2017 the Pangolin gained full protection from cross border commercial trading but it takes staff to implement border controls and with the demand still high poachers are taking the risks. We need to reduce the demand for Pangolins all together.
African authorities are trying to find other sources of income for the poachers often lured into poaching just to feed their families.
How we can help
We can help Maria and other Conversations protect the Pangolin by donating to charities so they can recruit and train staff to enforce the new law and reduce the demand.
Staff are also needed to rescue Pangolins from poachers and rehabilitate to release back into the wild before they are killed.
Conservation Charities protecting Pangolins
REST – Maria Diekmann – https://www.restnamibia.org/about/
Rare and Endangered Species Trust – REST https://www.restnamibia.org/about/
Zoological society of London (ZSL) – https://www.zsl.org/
Save Pangolins – savepangolins.org – http://savepangolins.org/
World Animal Protection – https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/
Wildaid – Wildaid.org
Adopt a Pangolin – https://davidshepherd.org/help-us/adopt/pangolin-adoption
Fondation Segré Pangolin Conservation