The Global Trade in Pangolin Species from Asia and Africa
Date
2020
Authors
Heinrich, Sarah
Editors
Advisors
Cassey, Phillip
Ross, Joshua V.
Shepherd, Chris R.
Ross, Joshua V.
Shepherd, Chris R.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Thesis
Citation
Statement of Responsibility
Conference Name
Abstract
Global pangolin trafficking is a major conservation concern, threatening the eight extant pangolin species (Order: Pholidota, Family: Manidae). Most demand for pangolins is coming from Asian countries and in particular from China and Vietnam. The scales are used in traditional medicines and the meat is consumed as a luxury dish. Historically, the skins have also been used in a lucrative leather industry. Persisting demand, especially for the scales and meat, and unsustainable harvesting across Asia have led to a decline and local population extinctions among the Asian species. The trade has since shifted to include the four African species, which are increasingly trafficked to Asian countries to meet demand. In this thesis, I have analysed pangolin trade patterns and quantitatively assessed the dynamics pertaining to this trade to fill important gaps that were missing in the literature. I have analysed the patterns of the historical (legal) trade in pangolins from 1975 – 2015 reported to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (Chapter 2). I found more than an estimated half a million pangolins were traded within that timeframe and confirmed that since the establishment of a zero export quota in the year 2000, for wild-caught Asian pangolin species traded for primarily commercial purposes, the trade in African pangolins has increased significantly. I also highlighted the role of non-range countries in the trade, which had previously not received much attention in the scientific and conservation community. Following the analysis of CITES trade, I focussed my attention on pangolin trafficking dynamics from 2010 – 2015 (Chapter 3). After collating an extensive seizure dataset, I conducted the first global pangolin trafficking analysis. I found more than 1200 seizure incidents globally, involving at least 67 countries. Most of the seizures still occurred within Asia, but European countries were identified as important transit hubs for African pangolins being trafficked to Asia. Of these European countries, Germany especially stood out in terms of the number of trafficking incidents it was involved in. Persistent trafficking links were also identified from Asia to the United States of America (US). The US was historically the dominating market for pangolin leather products. I analysed the pangolin leather trade in the US from 2000 – 2018, using data obtained from eBay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) (Chapter 4). I found that pangolin leather trade has been decreasing since 2000, and medicinals are nowadays the most traded pangolin commodity in the US. Yet, pangolin leather products continued to be sold in the US, for example on e-commerce platforms, such as eBay. I found that demand for the conspicuous skin pattern persists in the US and the declining trade in pangolin leather products is potentially being replaced by leather products from the skins of a giant freshwater fish: the arapaima (Order: Osteoglossiformes, Family: Arapaimidae). I provided a key example of wildlife substitution and the complexity of wildlife trade. The implications of this potential substitution will need to be assessed further, as arapaimas are also threatened in the wild. I further analysed the role of Germany in international pangolin trafficking, using seizure data from 2010 – 2018 (Chapter 5). Germany had previously been identified as one of the prominent European countries acting as a transit hub for pangolin products being trafficked from Africa to Asia. Germany was being used as a transit point predominantly for shipments of scales coming from Nigeria and on their way to China/Hong Kong. Most of the shipments were transported via postal services. Another important finding was the large discrepancy between government and media reporting, which may have implications for the use and interpretation of wildlife seizure data in the future. Pangolin trafficking is especially prominent in Asia. While it is widely agreed that China is driving most of the global pangolin trafficking, pangolins are usually sourced outside of China. Apart from African countries, which are an increasing source of pangolins found in illegal trade, several Asian countries still serve as important countries of origin. I therefore contributed to characterising pangolin trafficking dynamics in Lao PDR (Appendix 1) and Indonesia (Appendix 2), and I further analysed wildlife trafficking dynamics in Cambodia (Chapter 6). While I did not specifically focus on pangolin trafficking, but rather on general wildlife trafficking dynamics in Cambodia, I did find pangolins to be overrepresented in Cambodian wildlife trafficking. I further assessed the threat many other animal species face in Cambodia through wildlife trafficking, focussing mainly on the differences between birds, mammals, and reptiles. This thesis has contributed to a much deeper understanding of pangolin trade and trafficking patterns. Within the individual chapters, I have highlighted and discussed country specific issues, with the aim to support conservation and law enforcement efforts. Finally, I present an overview of areas that need to be strengthened to ensure the survival of all pangolin species.
School/Discipline
School of Biological Sciences
Dissertation Note
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 2020
Provenance
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