African poachers threaten pangolins

Pangolins are mammals mostly found in Africa and Asia.

Its fate has been eclipsed by so much attention on elephants and rhinoceros.

If care is not taken this specie would cease to exist. “ In the last year, around 40 have been confiscated. And thats just the number we know about. And those animals have all be confiscated by National parks. They are handed over to the Tikki Highway Trust who then rehabilitates and releases the animals back to safe areas,” Roxy Danckwerts, owner of ‘Wild is Life’ said.

NGO’s which defend endangered species are currently meeting in South Africa to discuss the way forward for protected species.

The conference is set to last until October 5.

“There needs to be an increase in awareness by governments to the extrinsic value of this animals because they are being hunted almost to extinction especially in many African countries,” Danckwerts added.

The working group on pangolins in Africa estimates that about half a million pangolins have been killed during the past ten years which far exceeds the combined number of rhinos and elpehants which have been killed by poachers.

Trade in pangolins is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), however, with the high demand for pangolins whose scales are used for therapy in Asia, illegal wildlife-trafficking syndicates are prepared to take risks.