Photo from Jabatan PERHILITAN Semenanjung Malaysia, Facebook
Malaysia burned an estimated nine million dollars worth of seized pangolin scales in a move to send a strong message to poachers, and to prevent the illegal wildlife trafficking of pangolin from Africa.
“A total of 2.8 tons of seized cargo scales were disposed of today at the Nature Quality Center, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan,” Jabatan PERHILITAN Semenanjung Malaysia posted on the official Facebook page for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. “Disposal of case items through combustion methods ensures that they will not return to the black market.”
It has been reported that approximately 3,000 pangolins would have been killed to obtain the 2,800 kilograms of scales.
The confiscated scales were obtained from a smuggling attempt that was diverted by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) at Malaysia’s Port Klang between May and September 2017.
At the time, officials reported that the pangolin scales, which were determined to be from the African species, were discovered, along with false documentation in several shipments from Ghana and Cameroon.
As often reported by WAN, endangered pangolins, which are often referred to as the world’s most trafficked mammal, have scales that are falsely believed to be valuable in traditional Chinese medicine.
Tragically, wild pangolins in Malaysia have also fallen victim to rampant hunting and deforestation.
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