LET'S PROTECT PANGOLINS (Free report)by Prince Foley | 20-10-2021 16:43 |
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 Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are the most heavily illegally-traded mammals in the world accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade. Inadequate public and governmental awareness of the trade itself are among the factors that make the trade difficult to combat, as well as insufficient political will and financial resources. There is a lack of reliable data on trade routes. Immediately halting this illegal trade and broadening conservation efforts is critical to the survival of this remarkable group of mammals. Other threats include habitat loss and environmental degradation, which places additional pressure on pangolin populations. It has been suggested that pangolins can not adapt to modified and artificial habitats. Land management practices potentially compound other threats. For example, pesticide use may reduce populations of ants and termites, diminishing sources of food, but the extent of this impact on pangolin populations is not yet known. Aside from being a very unique, insectivorous creature and the most trafficked mammal in the international illegal wildlife trade, these scaly anteaters also have a an extremely important role in the ecosystem. They are natural pest controllers since they help in regulating insect populations contributing to the delicate balance of the ecosystems they inhabit. They reduce the number of pests in gardens during growing seasons which also helps farmers to save money for pests control. Pangolins are soil caretakers. Their large and elongated claws enable them to burrow underground for shelter and to excavate ant and termite nests for food. In doing so, the soil is mixed and aerated. This improves the nutrient and quality of the soil and aids the decomposition cycle. When abandoned, their underground burrows also provide habitat for other animals. Their mere presence, in conjunction with that of the other organisms and processes within the habitat they live in, is absolutely imperative to continued healthy ecosystem functioning. It is up to us to make sure pangolins are not exterminated, themselves. Therefore, there is need to protect this endangered species by promoting public awareness in order to educate consumers of wildlife products about the damage being done to wildlife populations and the lack of any medicinal or magical properties in pangolin scales. There is also need to engage communities living near these vulnerable mammals and other wildlife to provide them with tools and incentives for sustainable agriculture that allow them to move away from hunting threatened wildlife for food Encouraging our governments to get serious on the full enforcement of laws and penalties for smuggling pangolins and other wildlife too. In 2016, an international agreement was announced that would end all legal trade of pangolins and further protect the species from extinction. Countries decided to strengthen existing protections under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global agreement between governments to follow rules to monitor, regulate, or ban international trade in species under threat.
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