Animal protection groups lauded the delisting of Pangolin Scales from the 2020 Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacopeia by the Chinese Government. The delisting came after the protected status of the pangolin was raised to the highest level last week by China's State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) in which implementation is effective immediately.

The step is crucial in stopping the trade of pangolin, the most trafficked mammal. Zhou Jinfeng, the secretary-general of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), welcomed the development, saying that their years of efforts have not been in vain. The group has long advocated for the protection of pangolins and stopping the use of scales. 

Pangolins, the World's Most Trafficked Non-Human Mammal 

According to the conservation group WildAid, approximately 200,000 pangolins are killed in Asia every year for their meat and scales. Scales confiscated totaled 130 tonnes, while live and dead animals were intercepted in cross-border trafficking operations last year. The said figure is estimated to be from 400,000 pangolins. 

The Guardian suggests a coordinated trafficking effort may be behind this as customs agents seized more than 14,000 pangolins in borders of Asia since 2015. 

These pangolin seizures have occurred in Asia, 24 percent of those are at China's borders, followed by several seizures in Vietnam and India. The whole pangolins are sourced from Laos, Thailand, and India. 

 Scale seizures in mainland China's borders for the past five years is at 32 percent. Seventeen percent (17%) of the seizures were accounted for Hongkong. 

The source of the scale is difficult to trace, but available data suggests that Nigeria (25%), Malaysia (17%), and Indonesia (12%) are top scale sources, the C4ADS said. 

Amanda Shaver, a wildlife crime analyst of C4ADS, said that there is a significant drop in reports on pangolin seizures since December 2019. Still, they have no recorded seizure of the whole pangolin in Asia in 2020.

Many scientists believe that the pangolins and bats are the intermediate hosts that transmitted the coronavirus to humans. 

Why are pangolins heavily hunted?

Pangolins are hunted for their scales for use in traditional medicine. Their meat is a delicacy for elite families in China and Vietnam, as it is believed to improve health and sexual benefits.

The scales, on the other hand, have no proven medicinal value but are used in traditional medicine to treat ailments such as difficulties in lactation to arthritis. The scales are dried up and ground into powder, or a pill.

Of the eight species of pangolins, four are found in Asia: Chinese, Sunda, Indian and Philippine pangolins, and they are classified as critically endangered by IUCN. Poachers and traffickers primarily target the Asian species, but now that their population depleted, African pangolins are not also heavily hunted. 

Strengthened Commitment to Protect Wildlife

Steve Blake, the Chief Representative of WildAid in Beijing, applauded the raising of the protection status of the pangolins and the delisting of the said species on the TCM as it is crucial to help curb illegal trade. 

Zhou, however, expressed the need to be vigilant about the so-called 'captive breeding" and medicinal research related to pangolins as wrong findings could lead to wrong policy decisions. Currently, the SFGA issues permit to TCM pharmaceutical companies for animal parts or "farmed" wildlife. Still, previous practices used the permits for poaching and illegal trafficking of parts and even live animals.