Between 2015 and 2024, over 370 tonnes of pangolin scales were seized globally, with the consignments originating from African countries.
This was estimated to correspond to the illegal trade of between 100,000 and one million pangolins.
That is according to the report, titled; ‘Disruption and Disarray: An Analysis of Pangolin Scale and Ivory Trafficking, 2015–2024,’ which was published by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).
You can read and download the report HERE
there is a marked decline in large-scale seizures over the past four years, suggesting a shift in the criminal landscape.
During the same period, over 193 tonnes of elephant ivory were confiscated, linked to an estimated 19,300 elephants, the analysis stated.
By 2016, seizures of pangolin scales began to surpass those of ivory, even though ivory volumes were initially nearly double.
Global Pangolin trafficking continued to rise until 2019, while ivory seizures appeared to shrink.
The report attributed part of this shift to China’s domestic ivory trade ban, implemented in December 2017.
However, 2019 saw a sharp reversal, with ivory seizures spiking by 146 per cent compared to 2018, challenging assumptions of a steady decline.
Following record-breaking seizures in early 2020, both markets experienced drops.
Pangolin scale seizures fell by 75 per cent and ivory by 94 per cent that year, largely due to global pandemic-related disruptions.
By 2024, the volume of seized pangolin scales and ivory had declined by 84 per cent and 74 per cent respectively compared to 2019 levels.
“It is notable that the total number of pangolin scale and ivory seizures remained reasonably similar in the 2020-2024 period compared to the five years prior to the pandemic, which could point to a relatively stable capacity of law enforcement to detect and intercept illegal shipments,” the study reveals.
“Although, the ongoing large stockpile seizures in Africa and steady pricing trends suggest this is unlikely to be the case just yet,” the report said.
The report however acknowledged a lack of reliable data on wild pangolin populations; leaving open the possibility that scarcity of supply could be contributing to the downturn.
In 2023 the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) expressed interest in conducting thorough study on the Pangolin species. This however has not happened yet.
“Pangolins are already extinct in Asia and now wildlife traffickers have started smuggling the creatures from Africa taking them to Asia where they are being killed, mostly for their scales,” stated one of the officials of the Lusaka Agreement taskforce, recently.
Some of the pangolins reportedly get shipped to the Far East, especially China where they happen to be popular delicacies in hotels and restaurants.
On the other hand, Pangolin scales are considered valuable in traditional Chinese medicine by many practitioners.