Pangolins are mammals of the order Pholidota that look like scaly anteaters and have species that live in Asia and in Africa. They are the only known mammals to have large keratin scales covering their skin for protection and have a diet that consists of ants and termites. They are also the most trafficked animal in the world. The pangolins are threatened by poaching and deforestation and IUCN Red list classifies the extant species along a range of vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered.
The Pangolin is hunted for its meat and scales, both of which are revered in Asia. The scales are thought to possess medicinal qualities, even though they are made of keratin and are no different than human fingernails. As a result, a blackmarket has been created to buy and sell these animals. This creates one of the pressures that the pangolin is already facing. Along with loss of habitat, record numbers are being imported from Southeast Asia and Africa into China where their meat and scales are sold. As the Asian numbers decrease, more and more traffickers are turning to Africa to poach pangolins. Efforts are being made to stop poaching and resuscitate numbers, but it will take time and dedication, along with a change in the ideaology that these animals provide some miraculous remedy, so as to temper the black market.
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