Pangolins are being 'eaten to extinction': conservationists
Demand in Asia for the animal's meat and scales is driving a growth in illegal trade
The scaly anteater is being eaten out of existence as its tasty meat is served up at banquets across Asia, conservationists say.
More than one million of the mysterious mammals, also known as pangolins, are believed to have been poached from the wild in the past decade.
“In the 21st century we really should not be eating species to extinction – there is simply no excuse for allowing this illegal trade to continue,” said Jonathan Baillie, co-chair of the pangolin specialist group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
“All eight pangolin species are now listed as threatened with extinction, largely because they are being traded to China and Vietnam,” he said in an statement issued yesterday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Pangolin meat is considered a luxury food, while pangolin scales are used in Chinese medicine to treat conditions such as psoriasis and poor circulation.
In fact, the scaly anteater has become the world’s most illegally-traded mammal, which has led the IUCN to step up conservation efforts in Asia and Africa where traders are trying to meet a growing demand.
