穿山甲面临危险：一个消失的物种（英文版）_7页_967kb

Pangolins in Peril: A Summary

Core Content

Pangolins, often referred to as scaly anteaters, are facing a severe threat of extinction due to illegal international trade. They are the most illegally traded mammal globally, with an estimated one million pangolins taken from the wild over the past decade. All eight pangolin species are currently listed under CITES Appendix II, but experts argue that they should be moved to Appendix I, which offers the highest level of international protection and would effectively ban commercial trade.

Main Points

• Pangolins are highly threatened:
  All eight pangolin species are experiencing rapid population decline, with some classified as Critically Endangered, others as Endangered, and the rest as Vulnerable. This decline is driven by poaching, habitat loss, and the demand for their meat and scales in traditional medicine and as a delicacy.

• Illegal trade is rampant:
  Despite CITES protections, the trade continues, fueled by increasing demand in China and Vietnam. Pangolin scales and meat are frequently seized in shipping containers, trucks, and airplane cargo, especially in Southeast Asia, India, and Africa.

• High demand drives high prices:
  The value of pangolin scales and meat has surged in recent years, with a 250% increase in China over five years and similar trends in other regions. This has intensified poaching and led to the commercial extinction of pangolins in China since 1995.

• Low reproductive output and poor survival in captivity:
  Pangolins have a low reproductive rate, producing only one offspring at a time and taking 7–9 years to reach maturity. Their inability to thrive in captivity makes captive breeding an ineffective conservation strategy.

• Trade has a detrimental impact on populations:
  The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group identifies illegal trade as the main threat to pangolins. The trade has led to population declines and is expected to continue, especially as demand from Asia grows and Asian species become more depleted.

• Case for Appendix I listing:
  All eight species meet the CITES criteria for Appendix I listing due to their status as "threatened with extinction" and "affected by trade." Listing them under Appendix I would provide stronger international protections and help curb the illegal trade.

Key Information

Species Overview

• Habitat and Behavior:
  Pangolins are solitary and nocturnal, found in diverse habitats such as tropical forests, grasslands, and savannas. They feed exclusively on ants and termites using strong foreclaws and long, sticky tongues.

• Physical Characteristics:
  Covered in keratinous scales, pangolins can roll into a ball when threatened. However, this defense is ineffective against poachers.

Population Status

• IUCN Assessments (2014):
  All eight species are classified as "Threatened with Extinction" due to a marked decline in population size. The decline is ongoing and inferred or projected based on exploitation levels.

• Population Trends:

  • Manis javanica: Critically Endangered, with suspected declines of <80% over 21 years and projected declines of >80%.
  • Manis pentadactyla: Critically Endangered, with projected declines of <90% over 21 years.
  • Manis culionensis: Endangered, with suspected declines of >50% over 21 years.
  • Manis crassicaudata: Endangered, with suspected declines of at least 50%.
  • Manis gigantea: Vulnerable, with a projected decline of at least 40% over 27 years.
  • Manis temminckii: Vulnerable, with inferred past and ongoing declines of 30–40%.
  • Manis tricuspis: Vulnerable, with a projected decline of at least 40% over 21 years.
  • Manis tetradactyla: Vulnerable, with a projected decline of 30–40% over 21 years.

Illegal Trade and Seizures

• Large-scale seizures since 2010 (Table 1):

  • 2010: Vietnam (2,000 kg scales), China (9,432 kg frozen pangolins and scales)
  • 2011: Indonesia (6,690 kg and 7,500 kg frozen pangolins and scales)
  • 2012: China (1,540 kg scales, with additional frozen pangolins), Indonesia (5,000 kg frozen pangolins)
  • 2013: Philippines (10,000 kg frozen pangolins), Kenya (534 kg scales), Cameroon (1,500 kg scales)
  • 2015: Uganda (2,000 kg scales), Vietnam (4,000 kg scales), Indonesia (5,100 kg frozen pangolins and scales), India (10,000 kg scales), China (11,500 kg frozen pangolins)

• Trade impact:
  The trade has shifted poaching pressure from Asian to African pangolins as Asian populations decline. The demand is so high that it is expected to continue growing, leading to further declines and potential extinction.

Conclusion

• Immediate action needed:
  To protect pangolins, all eight species must be listed under CITES Appendix I to stop international trade. This is critical given their low reproductive rates, poor survival in captivity, and the escalating demand for their parts.

• Enforcement challenges:
  Pangolin scales are difficult to identify at the species level when in powdered form, making it hard to enforce trade restrictions selectively. A unified Appendix I listing would address this issue.

Supporting Evidence

• CITES Criteria:
  Species are listed under Appendix I if they are "threatened with extinction" and "affected by trade." All eight pangolin species meet these criteria.

• Scientific consensus:
  The IUCN and various conservation groups have confirmed the alarming decline in pangolin populations and the role of illegal trade in driving this decline.

• Geographic spread:
  Pangolins are found across Asia and Africa, but the trade is increasingly impacting African populations as demand in Asia grows.

Contact Information

• Jeff Flocken: International Fund for Animal Welfare
  Email: jflocken@ifaw.org | Phone: +1 (202) 536-1904

• Elly Pepper: Natural Resources Defense Council
  Email: epepper@nrdc.org | Phone: +1 (202) 717-8193

• Teresa Telecky: Humane Society International
  Email: ttelecky@hsi.org | Phone: +1 (301) 258-1430

• Sarah Uhlemann: Center for Biological Diversity
  Email: suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org | Phone: +1 (206) 327-2344

• Adam Roberts: Born Free USA
  Email: aroberts@bornfreeusa.org | Phone: +1 (202) 450-3168

Image Credits

• Figure 1: The number of seizures of pangolins and their parts found in media reports since 2003
  Source: Media Reports

• Figure 2: Estimated number of pangolins seized per year since 2003
  Source: Media Reports

• Cover Image:
  © S. Hurd-IFAW

• Other Images:
  © Tikki Hywood Trust, © Benjamin Tupper, © Natural Resources Defense Council 2016