World Pangolin Day: There has long been a market for wild animals and their body parts, which are sold often. Pangolins are the most traded mammals, primarily for their scales. Even though there are strict regulations against it, the Indian pangolin is sought for its meat in central and northeast India. Their estimated natural number is still unknown, which is even more concerning. In order to save and increase awareness of this endangered species, Wildlife SOS has worked to address concerns about wildlife trafficking and conflict situations.

Rescue Operation

Following its rescue from traffickers, a pangolin is seen playing in a wild forest in one of the rescue operation videos that IFS officer Parveen Kaswan posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Did you know that this is the second most trafficked mammal on the planet?" the caption reads. He further added, “Shy and harmless creature smuggled in thousands every year. This one was released by our teams after rescued from smuggler, later smuggler was convicted for 5 years jail term.”

Pangolins: Huge Demand For Their Scales

The primary reason pangolins are trafficked is for their scales, which are valued in China and Vietnam as luxury cuisine and are thought to be used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to cure a range of ailments. Pangolins are used in traditional African medicine, rituals, and ceremonies, and they are sold as bushmeat throughout Africa. Animals are frequently trafficked solely for use in apparel and fashion.

Superstitions, meat, traditional Chinese medicine, and the pet trade are the main drivers of the mass trafficking of wild animals across national and international borders. Birds, pangolins, seahorses, and Indian star tortoises are a few of the most commonly traded species.