Pangolins to Receive US Endangered Protection

Pangolins are relatively well-known mammals that only live in Africa and Asia. However, their numbers have been quickly declining, due to many factors, the most impactful of them all being poaching. U.S. officials are able to take action on this topic because the Endangered Species Act requires U.S. officials to protect endangered animals regardless of habitat. The proposal was created as a response to many years of legal action by conservationists.

Pangolins are scaly, nocturnal mammals that have a diet that consists of basically only ants and termites. They roll into balls when threatened, effective against some predators but just makes poaching easier. This is because the defense is probably to protect against predator’s teeth and claws, or camouflage, but since they are stationary, someone could easily grab one. Around 8.5 million pangolins were taken from their habitats between 2014 and 2021 alone.

Pangolins are poached for their scales and meat. Pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material your nails are made of. It is a traditional Chinese medicine, although the Chinese government is taking steps to avoid its use for medicine. Studies have also shown that pangolin scales have no medicinal qualities. Their meat is considered a delicacy in China and a few other places, and is usually sold for an extravagant price.

One species of pangolin is already protected by U.S. law. The proposal aims to protect seven other pangolin species under U.S. law. If the proposal is passed, the seven pangolin species would be listed as endangered. Additional reasons for the decline of pangolins, other than poaching, are habitat loss and declining genetic health. They live in tropical and subtropical climates, and deforestation is having an extremely negative impact on the pangolin’s population.