Pangolins or scaly anteaters are mammals of the order Pholidota (from the Greek word, "horny scale"). The one extant family, Manidae, has three genera: Manis, which comprises four species living in Asia; Phataginus, which comprises two species living in Africa; and Smutsia, which comprises two species also living in Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 inchs). Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin; they are the only known mammals with this feature. They live in hollow trees or burrows, depending on the species. Pangolins are nocturnal, and their diet consists of mainly ants and termites, which they capture using their long tongues. They tend to be solitary animals, meeting only to mate and produce one to three offspring, which are raised for about two years.

The question is what is reducing the population of this animal? Is the pangolin quietly being trafficked to extinction? Based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) an endangered species is a species which has been categorised as very likely to become extinct. Endangered (EN), as categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, is the second most severe conservation status for wild population in the IUCN?s schema after critically Endangered (CR). Then world?s most trafficked mammal is not the charismatic elephant, majestic rhino or even an exotic monkey. It is a species that many people have never heard of, the Pangolin.

There are two African species, all of which the International Union for conservation of Nature classifies as ?vulnerable? in its Red List of Threated Species. A study released in 2017 showed that between 400,000 and 2.7 million pangolins are hunted annually in Central African. The staggering number did not even include African?s most common pangolin species S. Temminckii are also heavily hunted. The research reported that more than half of the pangolin caught were captured in snares and caught where juveniles or sub adult. Due to this the hunting affected the reproduction of these species, rendering the trade unsustainable.

Pangolin are killed for food, superstition customs and tradition medicine. The scale from Pangolin is believed to hold some superstitious power. However, these scales are also believed to have no medicinal value to other people but some people, who are consumers in Asia, believe there is healing power in the Pangolin scale, hence accelerating the hunting and killing of these animals which is driving them to their extinction. Scales from pangolin are made of keratin, the same substance found in human hair and nails. However, superstitious beliefs fail to accept this fact. Due to the vulnerable state of the pangolins, the international society pressed a ban that prohibits virtually all commercial trade in pangolin products, however many seem to pay a deaf ear to the laws that are set and still sneaks the products from pangolins. Traffickers continue to move the contraband, pressing fear that without reliable and effective interventions, pangolins are on a trajectory toward extinction. Increased law enforcement is required at all points of the illegal trade to help save the pangolin. Furthermore, governments must disrupt the demand by dispelling the myth that pangolin scales contain healing properties otherwise pangolins will be another fairytale.

Links: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species                                                                  https://travelafricamag.com/pangoin-quietly-trafficked-extinction/

Pictures taken from Wikipedia retrieved on 24^th May, 2018.