The most trafficked animal you've never heard of

Text by: John D. Sutter from CNN.

The pangolin could go extinct before most people realize it exists.

Or, more to the point: It could go extinct because of that.

Pangolins -- two species of which are endangered and all of which are protected by international treaty -- are trafficked by the thousands for their scales, which are boiled off their bodies for use in traditional medicine; for their meat, which is a high-end delicacy here and in China; and for their blood, which is seen as a healing tonic.

The numbers are astounding. By the most conservative estimates, 10,000 pangolins are trafficked illegally each year. If you assume only 10% to 20% of the actual trade is reported by the news media, the true number trafficked over a two-year period was 116,990 to 233,980, according to Annamiticus, an advocacy group.

No one knows how many pangolins are left in the wild. But scientists and activists say the number is shrinking fast. Some experts say the pangolin is likely the most trafficked mammal in the world. It’s impossible to say for certain, of course, because poachers don’t exactly submit spreadsheets on their activities. But aside from pangolins, only elephants would come close to the most-trafficked title in terms of total numbers.

Yet, few seem to care. International environmental groups and governments have been slow to fund pangolin research and rescue. You don’t see them on the cover of National Geographic. You rarely find them in marketing campaigns. There are a few pangolin enthusiasts out there who have dedicated their lives to saving these curious creatures but pangolins need more help.

For more information on these amazing creatures and how you can help please visit: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolin

For the full article please visit: http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2014/04/opinion/sutter-change-the-list-pangolin-trafficking/

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