As the world’smost trafficked mammalian , pangolins have had a rough deal . Harvested in Laos , Thailand , and India for their scales , which are incorrectly believed to carry medicinal properties , the animals have been heatedly sought after by markets in China . Now , the state has removed pangolin from an official 2020 list of element considered secure for purpose in traditional medical specialty , provide hope to conservationists currently campaigning to end world-wide trade of the scaly anteater .
According to paper fromWildAid , up to 200,000 pangolins are consume each yr in Asia for their meat but also their scale , which are thought to bring sexual and wellness benefit to those who consume them . The animals are traffic both alive and dead and descaled for their worthful armor , 130 gross ton of which were seized in cross - border trafficking operations last class .
As all species of anteater face the threat of endangerment , including the functionally extinct Formosan pangolin , thedelistingfrom the traditional Taiwanese medicine ( TCM ) formulary is a vital footmark towards protecting these animals . The decision was made after China ’s State Forestry and Grassland Administration ( SFGA ) increase the status of threatened pangolin to the highest level possible last workweek .
“ I am very encouraged , ” said Zhou Jinfeng , secretary - general of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation ( CBCGDF ) , according to a written report fromThe Guardian . “ Our continuous endeavour for several age have not been in egotistical . ”
Pangolins , which have been at the meat of many perfervid preservation projects in recent years , received special attention this class as they were considered apossible medium hostfor the novel Covid-19 coronavirus to pass from cricket bat to humans . Although several trafficked beast clutch by authorities werefound to test positivefor the SARS - CoV-2 pathogen , no concrete evidencehas been found to demonstrate their character in the outbreak .
[ H / T : The Guardian ]
