According to new data obtained by National Geographic, 2019 was a record high year for pangolin trafficking seizures. The data comes from a transnational security report by the nonprofit Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), showing that trafficking of African pangolins into Asia has risen exponentially in 2019. “Worldwide, more than 128 tons were intercepted-an increase of more than 200 percent from five years earlier.”

As populations of the four Asian pangolin species declined dramatically in recent years, illegal trafficking syndicates have started to source pangolins from Africa to meet the still growing demand in Asia for traditional medicines and luxury food items. Central and West Africa are growing hot spots for pangolin trade, with Nigeria as the source of more than a quarter of seizures coming from Africa from 2015 to 2019.

The report draws on C4ADS’ wildlife seizure data, as well as data from World Customs Organization and a program formed collaboratively by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the Zoological Society of London to identify major spots where law enforcement can focus their resources and maximize efforts. The increase in seizures in 2019 can be explained by a combination of factors; demand for pangolins increased from 2015 to 2019, but law enforcement efforts have also gotten better.

The value of pangolins on the black market has increased dramatically, drawing in more organized, practiced and resourceful trafficking syndicates. Pangolins are sold in bushmeat markets in Central and West Africa, which is an easy source for transnational traffickers to utilize for trade to Asia. Pangolin protection in Africa is working against many factors including weak governance, poor law enforcement, high levels of corruption, and local exports in Central and West Africa that have suffered a decrease in value, which has made the illegal trade of pangolin scales more attractive.

In 2019, China’s government announced that pangolin medicines would no longer be covered by insurance and in June of 2020, the government advanced protections for pangolins, upgrading them to the highest conservation level, equal to giant pandas. Some experts remain skeptical that these new measures will make a difference, but others believe with these measures we will observe a decrease in trafficking in 2020.

Click here to read the full National Geographic article, “Pangolin scale seizures at all-time high in 2019, showing illegal trade still booming.”