EXCLUSIVE
China, US and Hong Kong imported pangolins after international ban
China, US and Hong Kong imported pangolins after international ban
Unearthed, Greenpeace UK’s investigative journalism unit, has found that the commercial trade of pangolins continued beyond 2017
By Madeleine Cuff
July 23, 2020
A white-bellied pangolin which was rescued from local animal traffickers in Uganda (Photo: Isaac Kasamani/AFP/Getty)
The commercial trade of pangolins continued through 2017 and 2018 despite an international ban on the practice, with the US, Hong Kong and China all legally importing specimens of the highly endangered animal.
In January 2017 an international ban on the commercial trade of pangolins entered force, in a global effort to protect the animals from being trafficked to extinction.
But Unearthed, Greenpeace UK’s investigative journalism unit, has found that commercial trade of pangolins continued beyond 2017.
Imports
Data held by the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates the global trade in wild animals including pangolins, reveals China and Hong Kong legally imported almost 13 tonnes of pangolin scales in 2017. The imports originated from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and are equivalent to more than 16,000 pangolins.
In 2017 and 2018 the US legally imported 106 specimens for commercial purposes according to the CITES database, although the weight and number of animals is not recorded.
Pangolins are thought to be one of the most trafficked animals in the world, and their scales are highly prized as an ingredient in traditional medicine. The trade in wild animals, including pangolins, has been linked to the emergence of new diseases, including Covid-19.
The commercial trade of pangolins continued through 2017 and 2018 despite an international ban on the practice, with the US, Hong Kong and China all legally importing specimens of the highly endangered animal.
In January 2017 an international ban on the commercial trade of pangolins entered force, in a global effort to protect the animals from being trafficked to extinction.
But Unearthed, Greenpeace UK’s investigative journalism unit, has found that commercial trade of pangolins continued beyond 2017.
Imports
Data held by the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates the global trade in wild animals including pangolins, reveals China and Hong Kong legally imported almost 13 tonnes of pangolin scales in 2017. The imports originated from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and are equivalent to more than 16,000 pangolins.
In 2017 and 2018 the US legally imported 106 specimens for commercial purposes according to the CITES database, although the weight and number of animals is not recorded.
Pangolins are thought to be one of the most trafficked animals in the world, and their scales are highly prized as an ingredient in traditional medicine. The trade in wild animals, including pangolins, has been linked to the emergence of new diseases, including Covid-19.
Pangolin scales seized from poachers (Photo: FLORENT VERGNES/AFP/Getty)
Confusion
The imports recorded for China and Hong Kong probably date back to pangolins captured and stockpiled before the 2017 ban, although data governing the trades is incomplete. Pre-2017 stockpiles could be legally sold for commercial purposes until last year, when the rules changed. Chinese authorities did not respond to a request for comment.
There is less clarity on why the US imports occurred. Speaking to Unearthed, experts suggested they could refer to illegal imports seized by the US authorities and wrongly reported as legal imports on the CITES database. The database detailing seizures of illegal imports is not publicly available.
CITES said the US imports were not “on a commercial scale”. US authorities did not respond to comment requests.
Commenting on the findings, Greenpeace UK’s chief scientists Doug Parr said: “It’s depressing to think that cracks in the very treaty meant to stop the trade of endangered pangolins has allowed it to ‘legally’ carry on. This should be a wake-up call for the agencies and governments involved to curb demand for wildlife products altogether, leading to trade bans as soon as possible.”
CITES Response
In response to the findings, CITES insisted the Convention has “solid compliance mechanisms that can address inconsistencies that are deemed significant or worrisome”.
It added it “takes time” for national regimes to transition from regulated trade of a product to a ban. “The CITES Secretariat is working hard with the range States, transit and destination countries every day to improve the legislation and strengthen controls to enforce the ban effectively,” it said.
The imports recorded for China and Hong Kong probably date back to pangolins captured and stockpiled before the 2017 ban, although data governing the trades is incomplete. Pre-2017 stockpiles could be legally sold for commercial purposes until last year, when the rules changed. Chinese authorities did not respond to a request for comment.
There is less clarity on why the US imports occurred. Speaking to Unearthed, experts suggested they could refer to illegal imports seized by the US authorities and wrongly reported as legal imports on the CITES database. The database detailing seizures of illegal imports is not publicly available.
CITES said the US imports were not “on a commercial scale”. US authorities did not respond to comment requests.
Commenting on the findings, Greenpeace UK’s chief scientists Doug Parr said: “It’s depressing to think that cracks in the very treaty meant to stop the trade of endangered pangolins has allowed it to ‘legally’ carry on. This should be a wake-up call for the agencies and governments involved to curb demand for wildlife products altogether, leading to trade bans as soon as possible.”
CITES Response
In response to the findings, CITES insisted the Convention has “solid compliance mechanisms that can address inconsistencies that are deemed significant or worrisome”.
It added it “takes time” for national regimes to transition from regulated trade of a product to a ban. “The CITES Secretariat is working hard with the range States, transit and destination countries every day to improve the legislation and strengthen controls to enforce the ban effectively,” it said.
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