Another Pangolin Rescue Mission and Why You Should Care

“Good Morning Dear Margrit…”

The messages with this greeting are becoming more frequent. They mean Moses is about to embark on another pangolin rescue mission. It also means, money is needed immediately for transport, informant rewards and supplies.

The pangolin, a scaly little creature who eats ants, is the most endangered mammal on the planet! About 300 pangolin are stolen from the wilds each day! According to National Geographic, “An estimated one million pangolins are believed to have been smuggled from 2000 to 2013, making them the world’s most trafficked animals.”

Two deadly practices are leading these harmless species to extinction. One, the bushmeat trade and second, illegal wildlife trafficking.

The Bushmeat Trade

“The bushmeat trade refers to the non-traditional hunting of non-game animals for meat. Wild… animals are systematically hunted and sold as meat through markets across Africa and cities across the world.” As defined by Jane Goodall.

In Uganda, where Moses lives and works, the population is poor and pangolin are considered a valuable source of protein. However, Moses is on a mission to educate and provide alternative livelihoods to change this. And it’s working! Read about it…

Illegal Wildlife Trafficking

“The illegal trade in fauna and flora is worth between US$7 and US$23 billion per year according to the UN and Interpol.” Grabbed from WildCru

TheDoDo sheds a bit more light on the ‘why’. “Pangolin scales (considered to have healing qualities by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners) are valued at $3,000 per kilogram, pangolin meat (considered a delicacy) at $300 per kilogram, and live pangolins at $992.”

Research tells us that we really don’t know how many pangolin are actually trafficked and what the full impact is on their wild populations. However, we do know that seizures are around an alarming 10,000 animals per year. Sadly, this is probably only a fraction of those actually poached.

Unlike other endangered species pangolin do not do well in captivity so protecting them in the wild is of the essence for their long term survival.

Another Pangolin Rescue Mission

“Morning Dear Margrit…” Moses received word that a pangolin is being held in a village near Queen Elizabeth National Park. If Moses doesn’t get on his way quickly he runs the risk of the pangolin being sold or killed. So rapid response is of the essence.

“We got her!” Fantastic! This is always a welcome message. If the pangolin hasn’t been kept in a bag for too long almost immediate release (in accordance with the Ugandan Wildlife Authorities) is possible. If not, like a few days ago (the rescued pangolin had three spear wounds) then the injured pangolin must be treated by a vet and kept safe until healed.

Typically, a little as a $100 covers the cost of a pangolin rescue mission. Moses’ network of informants is growing. The alert texts are becoming more frequent. At this time we’re reckoning about five rescue missions a month. Your monthly contribution makes a huge difference to help save the endangered pangolin.