When curled up into ball – its defensive position to deter predators – the pangolin’s overlapping scales make it look similar to a pinecone. And it’s these scales that have earned it the moniker of the most trafficked mammal in the world, as pangolins are illegally poached for them. This has led them to being […]
Tag: Pangolins
Indonesia’s native hornbills are being hammered by online and offline trade
Among the many inhabitants of Southeast Asia’s dense rainforests are hornbills — a group of birds that stand out with their raucous call, large, ostentatious beak and colorful feathers. Indonesia harbors 13 species, the most of any country in Asia, three of which are found nowhere else. Hornbills are rapidly losing their homes as large swaths of […]
Two pangolin traffickers in South Africa sentenced to eight years in prison
The Molopo Regional Court in Mahikeng, South Africa, sentenced two wildlife traffickers, Edward Motlatsi Phiri, 46, and Tlhoriso France Ralph, 51, to eight years in prison. They were convicted of smuggling a Temminck’s pangolin, a vulnerable species native to Southern and Eastern Africa, according to a statement released by the North West province’s environment agency. The judgment, delivered […]
“It can run across water at speeds of 5 feet per second. That’s pretty nippy…” 9 weirdest reptiles in the world, including a devil with two heads
Reptiles are a diverse group of animals, and some of them have truly bizarre and fascinating characteristics – here are a few of the weirdest reptiles on the planet. Weirdest reptiles in the world Green basilisk A lizard that can run on water? Meet the Green basilisk – also known as the ‘Jesus Christ lizard’ […]
People Are Using TikTok to Sell Endangered Animals to Eat
Critically endangered animals are being advertised for sale as bushmeat on TikTok, a new study finds. The work, published recently in Nature Conservation, underscores the growing role social media plays in the global illegal wildlife trade. Bushmeat—meat sourced from wild animals—is commonly eaten in many African and some Asian countries. Though some people hunt for […]
Traditional Chinese Medicine Drives Poaching of Pangolins, Records Show
The use of pangolin parts in traditional Chinese medicine is driving poaching of the small, scaly mammals, according to an analysis of legal records. The Environmental Investigation Agency, a watchdog group, looked at 169 Chinese court judgments involving pangolins, which together documented the illegal trade of 5,465 pangolins and nearly 43 tons of pangolin scales […]
How Pangolins Became the World’s Most Trafficked Mammal
Pangolins, often described as walking artichokes or modern-day dinosaurs, are extraordinary creatures that have roamed the Earth for millions of years. Despite their unique evolutionary adaptations and gentle nature, these remarkable mammals now face an existential crisis. Each year, tens of thousands of pangolins are poached from the wild, pushing all eight species toward extinction. […]
Petition: Protect Pangolins From Trafficking in the U.S. Wildlife Market – Act Now
The pangolin is a unique creature – the nocturnal mammal is known for being mysterious. Adorable but sturdy, it can roll up into a ball to protect itself with scaly armor, and lash its sharp tail out at predators. Sadly, the pangolin is also one of the most vulnerable animals alive today. These shy, scaly […]