Increasingly illegal wildlife crime: Plight of Pangolins in Zambia

By Winston Muleba JR 

Stories about illegally trafficked ivory and rhino horns are always in the news. But people hear relatively little about other species of animal and plant heavily plundered around in Zambia. So it might come as a surprise that Pangolins are such major victims in the million dollar deals. However, they could become extinct before most people have even heard of their existence! 

Pangolins are one of the most unusual mammals in the wild today. They are shy, armor-clad anteaters found in South Luangwa National Park, Kafue National Park among other national parks in Zambia.

In recent years, an exploding illegal demand for their scales and meat is pushing all eight species across the globe towards extinction. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies them as threatened or critically endangered animals.

Today, the Pangolin has the unfortunate distinction of having become the most traded, least known animal in the world – yet most people know little about them or the grave threats they face. 

Studies indicates that there are eight extant species of Pangolins, which are also known as scaly anteaters, they are secretive and nocturnal and characteristically roll up into a ball when threatened. These animals are insectivorous that is to say they play a role in regulating social insect populations. Their distribution is linked to presence of prey species. Pangolins are not only pone wildlife crimes but they are also preys of larger cats, chimpanzees, pythons, large owls etc.

All Pangolin species persist on a diet predominantly comprised of ants and termites. Emerging in the evening to forage, Pangolins use their claws to dig into ant nests, termites mound and rotting logs while using their flexible tails for support and balance. They locate insects using a well-developed sense of smell and capture their prey with long and extremely sticky tongues. 

It has been discovered that the vulnerability factors of Pangolins include: poor defense mechanism, they just roll up and terrestrial species are easier to catch. They are seemingly easy to hunt/poach (but not to census!). Comparatively, they have low reproductive rate, females only gestates once per year, so opportunities for reproduction are limited. 

An International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation indicates that whole carcass or body parts of an extant Pangolin are used for many purposes which include: food, as a complementary protein source; in traditional medicinal preparations and as ornaments. The meat is consumed as a luxury dish in expensive restaurants and the scales are used in medicines believed to cure a range of medical problems - including helping lactating mothers to secrete milk, to cure skin diseases and to improve blood circulation. However, there is no scientific evidence that supports the belief that Pangolin derivatives have medicinal properties but demand in Asian countries continues to be a strong driver of the illegal trade of these species. 

Africa Geographic Blog also indicates that in Zambia it has been reported that some cultures put a Pangolin scale in their business cash box to protect their money. Other cultures believe that if the pangolin is fed special food for a few days, a diamond will be found inside if it is then killed and opened. 

The main threats to Pangolins are poaching and illegal hunting driven largely by an illicit international trade in the animals for their meat and scales. Malawi and Zambia are among the countries worst affected by this illegality. 

This year, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife the then called Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) arrested a 29-year-old man, Gift Banda of Chief Mbangombe’s area in Katete district for alleged possession of a live Pangolin. Mr Banda claimed to have acquired the Pangolin from Mozambique. 

“According to him, he came with the animal from Mozambique in the company of his two friends who were seated in a vehicle while he was trying to secure market for it. The market price for a live Pangolin is estimated at K25, 000 but that it can fetch even more,” he said according to a report generated by Lusaka Times. The Pangolin in question is believed to have been caught from the South Luangwa National Park. 

Another group of criminals involving six people, including a police officer were recently arrested for trying to sell a live pangolin for K80, 000 in Manungu Township in Monze, Southern Province, after a tip-off from members of the community. The Pangolin was released in an unspecified national park, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Services Spokesperson Kalembwe Sakabilo stated. 

And not long ago, six Pangolins on four separate operations across western Zambia were rescued. These scaly anteaters had been illegally captured from the wild by poachers, and were being sold as part of the illegal wildlife trade. GRI Wildlife Veterinary Project assisted ZAWA in releasing four of the Pangolins back into wild in Kafue National Park. Sadly two died as a result of their capture, one of which was a premature newborn whose mother gave birth due to stress. 

Nevertheless, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is at the forefront of demands for perpetrators to be punished but feels let down by the wheels of justice turning slowly, allegedly because of corruption. 

It is thought that 100, 000 of these unique animals are poached from the wilds of Africa and Asia each year, making Pangolins the world’s most heavily trafficked mammal. To safeguard these animals in Zambia and other affected counties there is need to establish a joint regional organ to monitor cross border movement and trade in Pangolins and all other vulnerable species would also go a very long way in enhancing the continued survival and availability of these species. There is also need to boost the yield of this animal by establishing Pangolin husbandries across national parks. Semi-captive breeding of Pangolins for education, research and introduction purposes will greatly enhance the survival and continue existence of these species. 

Overall, the Pangolin trade has reached epidemic proportions. With over one million Pangolins believed to have been traded illegally in the last decade. And based on reported global seizures between 2011 and 2013, over 233,980 Pangolins were killed. As demand grows, the Pangolin is becoming the subject of an increasing illegal trade in Zambia. 

Being heavily trafficked wild mammals in Zambia, DSWF and in collaboration with other stakeholders have risen to address the issue and are now funding a Pangolin Protection Programme to ensure the survival of the species in the country. 

DSWF is funding a new Pangolin Protection Programme to help address the issue in Zambia before it becomes a major threat to the species. Our aim is to reduce the threat, the illegal trade and local consumption of Pangolin through: rescue and rehabilitation; law enforcement; education and awareness. 

Among other fueling factors that have highly contributed to the presumptive use of the Pangolin include perception of its values and conservation awareness and also its economic value and local trade. 

Otherwise, if no swift action is done, these gentle creatures could be lost from the National Parks. As it were, increasingly illegal wildlife crime is the plight of Pangolins in Zambia. 

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About the Author 

Winston Muleba Junior is a Citizen Journalist, Researcher, Writer, Projects and Disaster Management Practitioner who uses media and ICT to promote environmental conservation; science, technology and innovation. He gravitates towards environment, water, climate change and agriculture as he is skilled at juxtaposing the latest research and expert opinion with the everyday lives and struggles of people on the ground. Email: mwenyamuleba@gmail.com