Pangolins on the Brink: New Global Report Warns of Steep Decline Across All Eight Species

Pangolins on the Brink: New Global Report Warns of Steep Decline Across All Eight Species

A sobering new global report has delivered a stark warning about the fate of one of the world’s most unique animals- the pangolin. Often dubbed the “world’s most trafficked mammal,” all eight species of pangolins are now facing heightened threats, with some edging closer to extinction than previously thought.

Between 2016 to 2024, seizures of pangolin products involved more than an estimated half a million pangolins across 75 countries and 178 trade routes. Pangolin scales accounted for 99% of confiscated parts.

Enforcement agencies caution, however, that seizures represent only a small fraction of the actual volume in circulation- with countless shipments going undetected.

A Grim Global Snapshot

The report was released this week, jointly prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The study was compiled by experts from the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Pangolin Specialist Group.

The report reveals that despite years of awareness campaigns and international trade bans, illegal trafficking of pangolins remains rampant.

The report acknowledges that important progress has been made in understanding pangolin conservation and the scale of illegal trade. However, it also highlights glaring gaps:

• The absence of updated population estimates
• Limited management across landscapes where pangolins occur
• Inconsistent monitoring.

These shortcomings, it warns, mean the true scope of the crisis is still not fully understood.

All eight species-four in Asia and four in Africa, are now listed as either Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Key drivers of their decline include:

• Relentless poaching for their scales, used in traditional medicine-particularly in parts of Asia;
• Demand for bushmeat and luxury cuisine, especially in certain African and Southeast Asian markets;
• Habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural expansion;
• Weak enforcement of international and national laws aimed at protecting them.

Pangolins: Nature’s Little-Known Ecosystem Engineers

These nocturnal, insectivorous mammals play a vital ecological role by regulating termite and ant populations and helping maintain healthy soils and forests.

Covered in overlapping keratin scales and armed with a sticky tongue that can stretch longer than their own bodies, pangolins are evolutionarily distinct and culturally significant in many regions. Yet, they are being driven to the brink by human greed and misunderstanding.

The Numbers Tell a Tragic Tale

According to the report:

• Over 1 million pangolins are estimated to have been trafficked in the last decade.
• Seizures of pangolin scales continue to rise, especially in West and Central Africa, which have become key source regions.
• Asian pangolin populations have plummeted so severely that smugglers have shifted focus to Africa, placing additional pressure on those species.

Dr. Helena Wu, co-author of the report and a senior wildlife trade expert, said: “We are watching a slow-motion extinction unfold. If current trends continue, we may lose some pangolin species within our lifetime.”

Are Protections Falling Short?

Pangolins are listed under Appendix I of CITES, which prohibits all international commercial trade. However, enforcement at national levels remains inconsistent. Corruption, weak penalties, and lack of awareness continue to undermine conservation efforts.

The report calls for:

• Stronger law enforcement and judicial follow-through to deter traffickers;
• Increased investment in pangolin habitat protection and community-led conservation;
• Greater collaboration between range, transit, and consumer countries;
• Public education campaigns to reduce demand for pangolin products.

A Call to Reimagine Conservation

The plight of the pangolin is emblematic of broader biodiversity loss occurring around the world. Conservationists argue that saving pangolins requires more than isolated protections-it demands a reimagining of humanity’s relationship with nature, rooted in respect, coexistence, and sustainability.

“We cannot afford to treat species like pangolins as expendable,” said Dr. Emmanuel Kofi, a leading ecologist based in Ghana. “Their survival is bound to the health of entire ecosystems—and ultimately, our own.”

“Ongoing pangolin trafficking and population declines underscore that trade bans and policy changes alone are not enough. CITES Parties must now work with relevant local and national stakeholders, especially grassroots, community and indigenous organisations, to incentivise effective pangolin conservation.

"Engaging communities, Indigenous peoples and even pangolin consumers, to co-design and implement the conservation interventions are powerful bottom-up mechanisms needed to complement the top-down policy prescriptions and achieve the desired outcomes for pangolins."

Matthew Shirley, co-chair of the IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group and one of the report's authors.

For conservationists, the message is clear: without urgent, coordinated and inclusive action, pangolins may vanish from the wild within a generation, taking with them not only a unique evolutionary lineage but also a vital piece of the ecosystems they help sustain.

What You Can Do

• Say no to traditional medicines or luxury products made from pangolin parts.
• Support reputable wildlife conservation organisations.
• Advocate for stronger wildlife crime laws and their enforcement.

The world still has time to reverse this trajectory. The future of pangolins now depends on the choices we make today.

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