840,437 pangolins traded illegally

University of Lagos pangolin research group in partnership with Shodex Garden has organised a lecture with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) experts on pangolin trafficking in Nigeria.

The event which was held in Lagos.

Former chairman, IUCN Pangolin Special Groups, Dr. Dan Challender, said there is a high rate of illegal trade and seizures of pangolin.

He said that measures should be put in place to keep the animal from going into extinction.

Challender said over the last decade, ten percent which equals over 8 million pangolins are recorded as seizures and a minimum of 840,437 were also illegally traded, with Nigeria as a major player.

Noting three species found in Nigeria, white-bellied, black bellies and the giant ground pangolins, he advised Nations to setup rules and laws against the killings and illegal trade of the mammal saying “you can’t conserve them by killing them”.

Current Chairman IUCN pangolin Special groups, Dr. Matthew Shirley said if a specie eat the wrong diet its would cause infection and lead to death because the nutritional needs of each species are different.

He noted that Taiwan has come up with an artificial diet that can serve the mammals regardless of its specie.

The cites decision 18.239 states “the Secretariat shall, subject to external funding, work with the Species Survival Commission Pangolin Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other relevant experts and in collaboration with the pangolin range States to develop conversion parameters for all pangolin species, that will enable the reliable determination of the number of animals associated with any quantity of pangolin scales seized, that can be used by Parties in cases where national legislation demands that such information be provided for court purposes.