Pangolins

Pholidotae

Sadly, Pangolins have been declared the most trafficked mammal in the world. This harmless creature spends its time eating ants, regulating the insect populations. Large populations of ants and termites decompose rotting wood and plant matter, but this also causes 1-3% of natural global emissions. Without pangolins and other insect-eating species, these global emissions would be much higher! They are also the only mammal with scales. These scales are what attracts poachers due to the belief that pangolin scales have medicinal properties. Pangolin scales are used in traditional Asian medicines to supposedly cure anything from a simple headache to arthritis. Their meat is also considered a delicacy. For many years, the four Asian pangolin species were targeted, but since their numbers have significantly decreased to critically endangered status, smugglers have now turned to the four African pangolin species, currently listed as endangered. Global climate change caused by fossil fuel consumption is causing changes in temperature and rainfall, which also impacts the habitat of the pangolin.