International trade and trafficking in pangolins, 1900-2019

Abstract

Pangolins have long been in commercial international trade. This chapter examines international trade and trafficking in the species from 1900 to July 2019. In the 20th century, trade mainly involved Asian pangolin skins, scales, and individuals, and contributed to population declines, especially in the Chinese and Sunda species. This included illegal trade that dwarfed international trade reported to CITES. Between August 2000 and July 2019 the equivalent of an estimated ~895,000 pangolins were trafficked globally, though the actual figure is likely higher. This involved Asian and African pangolins, predominantly scales and individuals, and was predominantly destined to Asian markets, mainly China and Vietnam. The drivers of pangolin poaching and trafficking are complex and addressing them requires multi-faceted interventions, including effective protection at source sites, strong law enforcement along trafficking routes, and changes in consumer behavior.