Nearly 100 Endangered Pangolins Rescued
Malaysian authorities rescued nearly 100 pangolins from a poacher who was planning to sell the endangered animals for meat and “medicine.”
A raid on a house in northern Kedah by officials from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks yielded 98 pangolins and three kilograms of pangolin scales. The Straits Times reported that the self-employed man in his 40’s was arrested, and faces up to 23 years in jail and a fine, if convicted of the five different illegal possession charges.
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Malaysian wildlife department enforcement chief Saharudin Anan is confident that the pangolins were on their way to Asian countries, where the illegal market in China has caused pangolins to disappear from their native Southeats Asia habitats.
We believe the animals were destined to be sold to Asian countries for their meat, as well as their scales to be used as traditional medicine.
Pangolins at the mercy of superstitions
The rescued pangolins are presumably Sunda (Malayan) pangolins (Manis javanica). This species is classified as endangered by the IUCN, due mainly to unfortunate Chinese superstitions about pangolin meat, scales, and body parts - even the pangolin fetus.
While most pangolins are smuggled to China, local markets are trading in pangolins, too.
The species is intensively used, for its skin, meat and scales, and is evidently subject to heavy collection pressure in many parts of its range. The species may be harvested for local (i.e. national-level) use, as well as for international export either before or after processing. Observations in mainland Southeast Asia indicate that there is very heavy unofficial, or at least unrecorded, international trade in pangolins and pangolin products …
Scales are used medicinally and the skins are used as a leather, but the medicinal use is greatest. In the past animal parts were used to cure skin diseases, but now it is used in China to cure cancer. The increased wealth in China is leading to a large increase in rates of exploitation of this species.
Habitat loss and human encroachment are also displacing pangolins. Recently, a pangolin showed up at a residence in an urbanized area of Neelankarai, India.
Here’s to the Malaysian wildlife authorities for a job well done - and here’s hoping this criminal receives the maximum penalty for his shameful crime.
