O animal trafficking is a criminal activity that causes significant damage to fauna and flora from the planet.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), this illicit practice is considered one of the most profitable and harmful businesses in the world.
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Illegal hunting of animals aims to meet the demand for various art and fashion items, as well as fur and exotic foods.
Below, you can find more information about the most trafficked animal in the world and the impact that this harmful practice has on the planet's biodiversity.
Among the trafficked species, the pangolin stands out, considered the animal that most suffers from trafficking in the world. The illegal trade in these scaly-skinned mammals has reached alarming proportions, with estimates indicating that as many as a million pangolins have been trapped in the trade in recent years.
Seizures of pangolin scales, used in alternative pharmaceuticals, reached 10 tons in a single Chinese city in 2019.
Despite occasionally being confused with reptiles, the pangolin is a nocturnal mammal that has the ability to protect itself by curling itself into a ball and using its scales as a defense mechanism against predators.
Sadly, all eight pangolin species found in Africa and Asia are endangered, with some classified as critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Wildlife Red List. Nature (IUCN).
The impact of poaching
Pangolin populations in the Africa have decreased by about 40% in the last 45 years, due to the consumption of their scales and hunting to obtain their meat.
In Asia, the situation is even more serious, with estimates indicating a reduction of up to 80% in the population of some species of Philippine, Chinese and Malay pangolins.
In addition to illegal hunting, the logging and the destruction of natural habitat also contribute to the decline of pangolin populations. Logging and deforestation for various purposes further exacerbate the biodiversity crisis.
Species trafficking: 4th most lucrative crime worldwide
The illegal trade in species is considered one of the most lucrative crimes in the world, occupying fourth place in the ranking, second only to the trafficking of weapons, drugs and people.
This is an activity that requires urgent measures and international coordination to protect the planet's fauna and flora.
