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Pangolin Conservation

February 09, 2020

"The most trafficked animal in the world"

Probably the worst label a species can be given, and one a lot of people have never heard of. There are eight species of Pangolins, four in Africa and four in Asia. While the Asian species are most at risk, all species are under threat, like this Ground Pangolin.

Pangolin scales are highly sought after in Chinese traditional medicine, where they're dried and ground up into powder, and used to "cure" anything from asthma to cancer. Just like rhino horn, there is no medicinal value, as they're made of keratin (the same stuff as our nails and hair).

For many years, the Asian species were the primary target of poachers and traffickers. As their numbers have reduced so much smugglers are now turning to African species.

There is still hope. There are some amazing organisations out there who dedicate their lives to protecting these amazing animals. We visited the Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST) while in Namibia. Near Etosha National Park, their devotion to the Pangolin and other endangered species is to be admired. You can see more about their work here:

https://www.restnamibia.org

Equally, there is a dedicated non-profit Pangolin conservation organisation where you can get actively involved:

https://pangolinconservation.org

They need all the help they can get...

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In December 2019 the status of two African Pangolin species; the White-bellied and Giant were moved from "vulnerable" to "end...
In December 2019 the status of two African Pangolin species; the White-bellied and Giant were moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" by the IUCN; the planet’s most comprehensive information source on the global status of animal, plant and fungus species. Also, the Philippine pangolin in Asia was changed from "endangered" to "critically endangered". No changes for were made for the species that these images show, the Ground Pangolin, but they're still listed as "vulnerable". You can read more here...
https://www.pangolinsg.org/2019/12/23/iucn-red-list-update-highlights-need-for-concerted-conservation-action-for-pangolins/?f...
https://www.pangolinsg.org/2019/12/23/iucn-red-list-update-highlights-need-for-concerted-conservation-action-for-pangolins/?fbclid=IwAR3gbhUCm8PeWJLornGT-KHUB8ZoVbQziX_hjN0sE83Jc9VJpOgRu10ENS8
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Most recently, in January 2020, a couple of reputable statements have suggested the recent outbreak of the cornavirus may be ...
Most recently, in January 2020, a couple of reputable statements have suggested the recent outbreak of the cornavirus may be linked to Pangolins.
The deadly pandemic has been traced to Pangolins according to researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Tex...
The deadly pandemic has been traced to Pangolins according to researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and has been confirmed by researchers at the South China Agricultural University.
While Chinese traditional medicine uses their ground scales for all sorts of treatments (with no effect), their meat is also ...
While Chinese traditional medicine uses their ground scales for all sorts of treatments (with no effect), their meat is also considered a delicacy across many Asian markets (e.g. in China and Vietnam).
With any luck this will mean a crash in demand for their meat and the end to their poaching.
You can read more in the articl...
With any luck this will mean a crash in demand for their meat and the end to their poaching. You can read more in the articles below...
https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-statement-from-south-china-agricultural-university-that-research-has-id...
https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-statement-from-south-china-agricultural-university-that-research-has-identified-the-pangolin-as-a-possible-coronavirus-host/?fbclid=IwAR1y6SEnAr1zcgjVGV08zquF-E3aA6-4cm2rpYFt42fx06PZpKLdvmWJ6Z8
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-02-07-coronavirus-source-found-in-pangolin-meat/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=A...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-02-07-coronavirus-source-found-in-pangolin-meat/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Afternoon+Thing+TGIF+7+February+2020+iStore&utm_content=Afternoon+Thing+TGIF+7+February+2020+iStore+CID_12778217b9678037508e3d0087e7e7da&utm_source=TouchBasePro&utm_term=Pangolins+a+source+of+coronavirus+outbreak&fbclid=IwAR0HjcTut8hAq1QHwbldzE4hyJ5HsJML2rHLChoFI5w6yVBlSDPWPL--mnc
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