The rampant poaching of pangolins has again become an issue of concern even at a time when the gift of these scaly anteaters to our wildlife resource should be celebrated. This is coming amid experts’ stern warnings that the continuous killing and sales of pangolins is already casting a looming shadow over agricultural productivity and environmental balance. Pangolins, found on two continents – Asia and Africa – are facing a grave risk of extinction, particularly in Africa where the focus has intensified due to the insatiable demand from Asian countries, where the animals are already critically endangered.
Reported as the most trafficked animal in the world, the pangolin is desired for its scales and its meat, particularly in Southeast Asia. According to the United States Institute of Peace, the use of the animal’s products in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a principal reason for wildlife trafficking, thus keeping prices high and demand steady. Although China had reportedly taken some action against in around 2020, to curb the pangolin trade in recent years; legal, domestic markets in China are still open for consumers to get the wildlife for their use from time to time. Consequently, this implies that there is a need to address consumer behaviour as regards wild consumption, as the irony remains that in the name of healing and medicine, much avoidable harm – to peace and to biodiversity – is actively being promoted by their choice of illegal poaching and buying.
The alarming rate of pangolin poaching in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, is sounding an urgent alarm for biological conservation in the country, even as Nigeria burned US$1.4m (£1.2m) worth of pangolin scales in a stand against trafficking, as of 2023 according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Meanwhile, the animal charity, Wild Aid, has stated that up to 200,000 pangolins are thought to be taken from the wild every year. Speaking recently at an event organised by the Pangolin Conservation Guild of Nigeria to mark the 2024 World Pangolin Day, experts emphasised the pivotal role that pangolins play in the biodiversity web. The Chair of Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria, Prof. Olajumoke Morenikeji, stressed the importance of pangolins to the environment and called for their protection from extinction.
Morenikeji, a Professor of Zoology, highlighted the ecological significance of pangolins, stating that “One pangolin is estimated to consume about 70 million insects in one year, including crop pests. Pangolin activities help aerate the soil and create habitats for other animals, contributing to a healthier ecosystem”. Drawing attention to the potential consequences, she urged the government to take swift action to safeguard pangolins, the most illegally traded mammals globally. The Director-General of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Osimhen Yaduma, echoed these concerns, emphasising that the survival of pangolins is integral to food security and human survival. Yaduma also emphasised the role of pangolins in biological conservation, stating, “Pangolins eat a lot of insects and in a way, protect crops. If pangolins don’t survive, the issue of food security will be a mirage”. As stakeholders unite in awareness campaigns and educational efforts, the call to protect pangolins reverberates, not only for the sake of biodiversity, but also as a critical measure to combat pests, ensure agricultural sustainability and peaceable living among humans.
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