PETITION TARGET: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Undercover video from India shows hunters lighting a fire to force a terrified pangolin from a tree, capturing them in a bag, beating them with a machete, and tossing their bleeding body into boiling water, according to The Independent.
This brutal scene is just one example of the widespread and violent exploitation that’s causing pangolin populations to plummet.
Sadly, pangolins are the most trafficked mammal on earth, with as many as 2.7 million African pangolins killed annually by hunters — primarily to meet demand in Asian markets, where their scales are prized in traditional medicine and their meat is seen as a delicacy.
The trafficking of pangolin body parts has even reached the United States, as numerous shipments have been seized at the border in recent years.
Beyond pushing pangolins toward extinction, the illegal trade also often finances other criminal activities, including drug and arms smuggling.
Recognizing the severe threats facing these animals — trafficking, loss of habitat, and genetic issues — the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing seven pangolin species from Asia (Chinese, Indian, Sunda, Philippine) and Africa (white-bellied, black-bellied, giant) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
If these protections are enacted, they could better restrict pangolin imports and help hold more traffickers accountable.
The gentle nature and lack of natural defenses of pangolins, combined with the high demand for their body parts, make them especially vulnerable to poaching and illegal trade — and they urgently need protection to survive.
Sign our petition urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to adopt these protections and save pangolins from becoming extinct.
You can also click here to submit a public comment calling on the FWS to list pangolins as endangered.
Suggested comment: “I strongly support listing pangolins as endangered under the ESA to help end the illegal trade and protect these vulnerable animals from extinction.”
