Tag: endangered species

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15 Aug 2014

All 8 Pangolin Species Threatened with Extinction; 2 Species Now ‘Critically Endangered’  0

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All four African pangolin species -- the ground pangolin (Manis temminckii), giant ground pangolin (Manis gigantea), white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspid), black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) -- have been moved from Least Concern to Vulnerable. PHOTO: Tikki Hywood Trust
All four African pangolin species — the ground pangolin (Manis temminckii), giant ground pangolin (Manis gigantea), white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspid), black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) — have been moved from Least Concern to Vulnerable. PHOTO: Tikki Hywood Trust

All eight pangolin species are now considered threatened with extinction, according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ™.

Two of the four Asian species, the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), are now listed as Critically Endangered. The Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) and Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) have been moved from Near Threatened to Endangered.

All four African pangolin species — the ground pangolin (Manis temminckii), giant ground pangolin (Manis gigantea), white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspid), black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) — have been moved from Least Concern to Vulnerable.

All pangolin populations are decreasing.

Pangolins bear the unfortunate distinction of “most illegally traded mammal in the world”, due to the massive demand from China, as well as Vietnam. Pangolin meat (including fetuses) is eaten as a delicacy. Pangolin scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the scales are simply comprised of keratin — the same as our fingernails — and there are no proven health benefits of consuming pangolin scales.

The plundering of this species is inexcusable, says Professor Jonathan Baillie, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group and Conservation Programmes Director at ZSL.

“In the 21st Century we really should not be eating species to extinction — there is simply no excuse for allowing this illegal trade to continue.”

This recognition from the IUCN is the latest positive development for pangolins in 2014.

  • Pangolins received unprecedented media coverage this year, thanks to CNN’s John Sutter taking up the plight of this endearing mammal in “The most trafficked mammal you’ve never heard of“, part of CNN’s Change the List project.
  • In June 2014, the Species Survival Network, an international coalition of over 100 NGOs, launched a Pangolin Working Group to address legal and illegal trade in pangolins, and to ensure that wild populations are protected and that CITES trade restrictions are adequately implemented and enforced. The Group is working towards the uplisting of all eight pangolin species to CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international commercial trade.
  • At the 65th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee held in July 2014, an intercessional working group on pangolins was established following interventions by countries and NGOs. The Working Group is Chaired by the European Union and comprised of source, transit and destination countries — and NGOs. It met for the first time on July 10, and adopted a mandate calling for robust reporting requirements on pangolin trade and conservation.

(This post was originally published on Annamiticus.)


18 Jan 2012

World Pangolin Day 2012 is February 18! #worldpangolinday  0

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Join us as we celebrate the eight species of pangolin!

PLEASE NOTE: World Pangolin Day 2013 is February 16!

Did you know that World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in February? We did some poking around on the interweb to see if pangolins have a special day — and they do!

This year, the special day falls on February 18th.

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16 Jan 2012

‘Medicinal Use’ Pangolin Farms in China? [Photos & Video]  0

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Are pangolins being farmed for China’s traditional medicine industry?


We’ve uncovered disturbing information which strongly suggests that “medicinal use” pangolin farms are already operating in China.

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13 Jan 2012

Pangolin Ads Removed from Chinese eCommerce Website  0

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An update to our previous article about pangolin scales and flesh for sale online.

Good news: As a result of our recent story about pangolin products being sold on China’s top eCommerce website, Alibaba, we were contacted by a representative of the company who informed us that the pangolin pages have now been removed from the site.

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03 Nov 2011

Book Review: ‘Black Market – Inside the Endangered Species Trade in Asia’  0

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“Unless we act now to stop the illegal trade, we will eventually find only a dust bowl, emptied of all its forests and animals. ” – Ben Davies.


A must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the illegal wildlife trade: Black Market: Inside the Endangered Species Trade in Asia by Ben Davies is a shocking portrait of the plundering of endangered species destined for Asia’s illegal wildlife markets.

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26 Oct 2011

September Bust Nets 100 Pangolins from Smuggler in Thailand  0

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Customs officials in Thailand recently rescued nearly 100 pangolins from certain death.


The shy, scaly anteaters are believed to have been en route to China or Vietnam, where they are consumed as delicacies. Their body parts are also used in dubious folk remedies.

They were discovered in a truck on September 25th, when the driver fled after being stopped at a checkpoint in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, according to the BBC.

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