INTERPOL this month announced the successful rescue of nearly 20,000 live animals, all of which belong to endangered or protected species, as part of a global crackdown on wildlife and forestry trafficking.
Law enforcement agencies including police, customs officers, border patrols, and forestry and wildlife officials from 138 countries took part in what was known as Operation Thunder 2024, led by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation. A staggering number of birds, turtles, reptiles, primates, and big cats were seized.
But among the animals rescued, pangolins stand out, the world’s most trafficked mammal, fuelling a vast underground economy that spans continents. Their keratin-based scales are highly valued in traditional medicine, particularly in China and Vietnam, while their meat is considered a delicacy in some cultures. Pangolin skins are also used to produce leather goods, which have found markets in the United States and Europe.
While China officially banned the use of pangolin scales in traditional medicine in 2020, it remains the largest market for the species.
The illegal pangolin trade is a global crisis, extending far beyond the species’ native habitats in Africa and Asia. An investigation by TRAFFIC – an NGO monitoring the trade in wild plants and animals – revealed that China and the United States are the primary destinations for pangolin products, though the nature of trafficking differs. China accounts for the largest seizures of whole pangolins and scales, while the United States receives more shipments of processed body parts. Meanwhile, Europe – particularly Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands – functions as a key transit hub, channelling African pangolins into Asian markets.
The black-market demand for pangolins has turned what is often framed as a conservation issue into a complex problem with far-reaching economic, diplomatic, and security consequences. Africa, home to diverse pangolin species but plagued by weak enforcement mechanisms, has become the primary supplier. Countries such as Nigeria face mounting pressure to strengthen law enforcement and tighten border controls. Yet the trade persists, often facilitated by high-level corruption and inadequate resources.
As one of the world’s largest consumers of pangolin products, China plays a crucial role in the survival of these vulnerable creatures. While the country officially banned the use of pangolin scales in traditional medicine in 2020, it remains the largest market for the species. The continued demand raises pressing questions about the effectiveness of enforcement measures and whether corruption is enabling the illegal trade to persist.
While species of pangolins are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), enforcement remains patchy. In some cases, wildlife laws are outdated or too weak to serve as an effective deterrent. Even when traffickers are caught, penalties are often minimal. This creates a situation where the risk of prosecution is low compared to the enormous profits on offer.
As a result, addressing pangolin illegal trafficking is not just about conservation – it is also about national and international security. To effectively combat pangolin trafficking, a coordinated, multi-pronged approach is necessary. Countries implicated in the trade need to enhance intelligence-sharing and cross-border cooperation. This includes better coordination between law enforcement agencies, customs authorities, and wildlife protection organisations.
Governments implicated in the trade need to prioritise a comprehensive overhaul of their national wildlife laws. A critical step involves amending these laws to classify pangolin trafficking as a grave offence and imposing significant, dissuasive punishments. This could include lengthy prison sentences, substantial fines, and the confiscation of assets linked to the illegal trade.
Wildlife trafficking is a billion-dollar industry. Financial institutions should be enlisted to help track and disrupt the flow of illicit funds linked to the pangolin trade. Banks and other financial service providers can be trained to recognise suspicious transactions – large cash deposits, wire transfers to obscure entities in known trafficking hotspots, or unusual trading patterns involving companies with no legitimate business in wildlife products.
Efforts to change consumer behaviour – especially in China and Vietnam, where demand for pangolin products remains high – are crucial. Public awareness campaigns can help curb consumption. At the same time, stronger scientific research into the pharmacological properties of pangolin scales, or the lack thereof, can support the development of alternative treatments and reduce reliance on pangolin-derived remedies.
However, without a coordinated global response, criminal syndicates will continue to exploit the gaps in enforcement, and pangolins may soon disappear from the wild. Their fate will depend not only on conservationists and law enforcement but also on governments’ willingness to tackle the deeper geopolitical and economic forces driving this trade. In a world where wildlife crime has become an international security threat, ignoring the plight of pangolins is no longer an option.
