One such endangered species is Pangolins . They are highly threatened by illegal poaching and loss of habitat. Pangolins are vanishing at massive rate. They are by far the most common species of mammal in international trade, with animals being taken from all across Asia to meet the demand for use in traditional medicines largely in China. Recent hauls include hundred tons of frozen pangolins from Sumatra, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Pangolin populations clearly cannot stand the rampant large scale poaching threat. Although pangolins are protected by national and international legislation throughout their range, poaching and habitat loss are severely depleting populations. Their scales are used in traditional medicines and their meat consumed mostly in Asia. Of the eight existing pangolin species, four occur in Asia: the Chinese Pangolin, the Malayan Pangolin, the Philippine Pangolin, and the Indian Pangolin. The other four African species include the Cape Pangolin, the Giant Pangolin, the African White-bellied Pangolin, and the Long-tailed Pangolin. The Asian species are differentiated from the African species by the presence of hair between their scales. Pangolins save us millions of dollars a year in pest destruction by controlling termites and ants. |
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