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A Report on Our Protecting Pangolins and Protecting the Earth with
Nigeria in 2019
By China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
(CBCGDF) Pangolins Working Group
- CBCGDF Pangolins Investigation Team
April 2019
(Photo credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
Summary
Pangolin is the mammal in the world suffers the most severely from illegal trade.
The huge market demand and high profits brought about by the so-called
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"edible and medicinal value" are the catalysts that cause smugglers to take
risks and are the boosters that lead pangolins to extinction.
Relevant data show that between 2017 and 2019, in several major cases
involving the smuggling of pangolin scales, the seized pangolin scales were
from Nigeria. The problem of illegal trade in pangolins in Nigeria does require
worldwide attention; how to solve this problem also needs to be highly valued
by the international community.
In March 2019, the Pangolin Working Group of the China Biodiversity
Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) urgently
established the Pangolin Investigation Team in Nigeria, and then sent the
CBCGDF’s investigating volunteer “African Warrior” to Nigeria to investigate the
consumption of pangolins.
(Photo credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
I. Why investigates Nigeria?
There are four species of pangolins in Africa: black-bellied long-tailed
pangolins, white-bellied long-tailed pangolins, giant pangolins, and South
African pangolins. Both giant pangolins and South African pangolins are not
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distributed in Nigeria. The black-bellied long tailed pangolins are distributed in
southeastern Nigeria. They are found in primary and secondary rainforests,
artificial forests (shrubs), swamps and farmland. The long-tailed pangolins
mainly inhabit in the lowland tropical humid forests of Nigeria, the area
between forests and savannah grasslands, and in areas where there are no
hunts, and may also live in arable land and fallow land.
The above two species of pangolins are captured locally in Nigeria, consumed
or traded in the market, and their scales are used for medicine, including
traditional African western medicine, resulting in a sharp decline in the number
of pangolins.
China continue to be persistent hotspot for seizures of pangolin scales,
recording 55.8 tons of seized scales respectively between 2014-2018.
According to several media reports, the amount of smuggled pangolin scales
seized by China from 2016 to 2019 is on the rise, many of which were from
Nigeria.
(see details:
https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/over-seven-tons-of-pangolin-
scales-seized-in-hong-kong
https://clubofmozambique.com/news/shipped-nigeria-china-biggest-ever-
pangolin-scale-seizure-reports/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/customs-seizure-shines-
spotlight-pangolin-worlds-most-trafficked-animal-180961580/
https://africasustainableconservation.com/2019/02/01/hong-kong-seize-huge-
shipment-of-pangolin-scales-and-ivory-from-nigeria-bound-for-china/
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-
crime/article/2184462/customs-officers-deliver-hk62-million-blow-smugglers
https://wildaid.org/world-pangolin-day-comes-amid-alarming-number-of-
seizures/
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/05/pangolins-on-the-brink-as-africa-china-
trafficking-persists-unabated/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989418304414
http://qbzx.forestpolice.net/2019/0202/c1204a77382/pagem.htm
, etc.)
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Collation – Typical cases involving seizures of smuggling pangolins in
Nigeria:
On January 16, 2018, the Customs of Hong Kong and the Customs of the
Mainland carried out joint operations and seized 8,300 kilograms (about 13,000
pangolins), which was shown to be from Nigeria;
(see details: https://ewn.co.za/2019/02/01/hong-kong-seizes-record-eight-
tons-of-pangolin-scales)
On February 16, 2018, Nigerian Customs operatives seized 55 sacks of
pangolin scales weighing 2,001kg, valued at N408.32 million, and 218 pieces
of elephant tusks weighing 343kg and valued at 85.2 million at a warehouse in
Ikeja, Lagos, South West Nigeria, arresting a Chinese suspect, Ko Sin Ying.
(see details: https://businessday.ng/businessday-
investigation/article/pangolins-vanishing-in-the-wild-2/)
On March 15, 2018, in the case of the seizure of smuggling pangolin scales in
Ikeja, Nigeria, 329 bags of pangolin scales were found in an apartment of a
Chinese, weighing 8.4 tons and worth 1.72 billion naira (about 33 million yuan);
(see details: https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/politics/politics-nigerians-are-
helping-chinese-nationals-traffic-an-endangered-species/vg6b56p)
On July 20, 2018, the Customs of Hong Kong seized about 7,100 kilograms of
pangolin scales in a cargo container, equivalent to 11,000 pangolins, worth 3.55
million, which was shown from Nigeria;
(see details: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-07/20/c_137338114.htm)
On August 9, 2018, 21 bags of pangolin scales weighing 1031 kilograms were
seized in a store in Lagos, Nigeria.
(see details: https://www.von.gov.ng/nigeria-customs-impound-various-
contraband-goods/)
On September 26, 2018, the customs of Guangzhou cracked a large smuggling
case of pangolin scales. The scales weighed 7.26 tons, and it was estimated
that more than 10,000 pangolins were killed.
(see details:
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2166083/15000-pangolins-
slaughtered-7-tonnes-scales-seized-china)
On September 28, 2018, Vietnamese customs seized 805kg of pangolin scales;
(see details: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/nearly-a-ton-of-
pangolin-scales-ivory-seized-in-vietnam-which-has-banned-the-trading-of)
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On January 16, 2019, the customs of Hong Kong and mainland took a joint
action against cross-border smuggling of endangered species and seized about
8,300 kilograms of pangolin scales;
(see details: http://www.china.org.cn/china/2019-02/01/content_74434017.htm)
On April 8, 2019, Singapore intercepted 12.9 tons of pangolin scales;
(see details: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-wildlife-
trafficking/singapore-makes-second-huge-seizure-of-pangolin-scales-in-days-
idUSKCN1RM0VN)
On April 10, 2019, Singapore intercepted the second batch of pangolin scales
in less than a week. These scales weighed 12.7 tons, from about 21,000
pangolins, worth about 255 million yuan, also from Nigeria, planned to ship to
Vietnam.
(see details: https://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL3N21S1UL)
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(Photos credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
II. Analysis of Causes
1. A serious lack of awareness of protecting wildlife.
In Nigeria, there is a lack of awareness about the protection of pangolins and
other endangered wildlife. For example, in public places such as airports and
hotels, there is almost no advocating signs/billboards for publicity on wildlife
protection, reminding people from all over the world including Chinese who
travel and work in Nigeria to protect pangolins.
(According to the narration of the CBCGDF investigating volunteer “African
Warrior”.)
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(Photo credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
2. Chinese working in Nigeria see pangolin as a precious tonic.
Local health care in Nigeria is limited. The Chinese who work in the area use
pangolin as a supplement to improve immunity. They believe that pangolin has
precious medicinal value. They go to the market every week and make the
purchased pangolins a nourishing nutrient soup; most of the pangolins captured
by local Nigerians are sold to the Chinese. It can be seen that the local situation
in which Chinese people eat wild animals is very common.
(According to the narration of “African Warrior”.)
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(Photo credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
3. Law enforcement departments lack effective supervision.
Although Nigeria has clear legal provisions on the protection of wild animals, it
isn’t really implemented. The relevant law enforcement departments are
ineffective, and they have not taken drastic actions against illegal trade,
consumption and killing of endangered wild animals. For example, a law
enforcement officer stood at the gate of the wildlife meat market but turned a
blind eye to the public sale of various wild animals.
(According to the narration of “African Warrior”.)
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(Photo credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
4. The price is very cheap, resulting in huge interest in smuggling.
The price of pangolins in Nigeria is about 300 yuan, and the pangolin scales
are 190 yuan a kilogram (10,000 naira), which is 95 yuan for one jin, the price
is very cheap. In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, some people
publicly sell pangolins online, “1500 yuan for one jin of live pangolins”, and for
the pangolins that will not stay overnight after being captured, the highest can
actually sell 90,000 yuan. After comparison, it was found that the pangolins
were sold at a price nearly 16 times higher, and the profit was considerable.
Locals in Nigeria can provide pangolin scales from 200 kg to 500 kg a month.
Customs in some cities in Nigeria are not strictly enforced, so some Chinese
can easily smuggle pangolin scales to China for profit.
(According to the narration of “African Warrior”.)
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(Photos credit: CBCGDF undercover investigating volunteer “African Warrior” from Lagos,
Nigeria)
III. Nigerian Relevant Laws and Regulations.
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Nigeria has signed and ratified the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); In 2016, the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
also listed all eight pangolins in the world in Appendix I, on a global scale.
In 1985, Nigeria enacted the 11th Endangered Species (International Trade and
Trading) Ordinance; In 2016, Nigeria enacted the Endangered Species Act,
which listed the endangered species of pangolins in Appendix I.
IV. Countermeasures.
1. Strengthen publicity and education in the protection of wildlife.
Promote knowledge about the protection of endangered species such as
pangolins in communities where Chinese people gather and make the public
aware of the need to reduce consumption of pangolins and other endangered
species; publicize and produce slogans and advocacies on pangolin protection,
and place them in places where the Chinese are more concentrated, including
the Chinese restaurants, visa offices and customs; educate local residents
about ways to report illegal trade practices, and specialize and educate children
and youth to develop awareness of wildlife protection from an early age.
2. Strengthen the construction of law enforcement capabilities
Strengthen the training of law enforcement personnel to better implement the
relevant regulations of the Endangered Species Act. Ordinary law enforcement
personnel often lack the knowledge and capacity to monitor and effectively deal
with illegal trade in endangered wild species, so it is important to organize
regular training for law enforcement personnel.
3. Strengthen the mechanism for public participation in reporting illegal
trade related phenomenon.
Work with local residents and volunteers to build community conservation sites.
Develop partnerships with local people, experts, NGOs, local governments,
private companies and other stakeholders to protect local endangered species;
develop platforms and Apps for reporting to facilitate whistle-blowers’
involvement in pangolins trade activities, to take immediate reporting actions;
such platforms can also be used to promote knowledge about the protection of
endangered species such as pangolins.
4. Require enterprises to assume corresponding cooperation social
responsibilities.
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Encourage Chinese companies in Nigeria to carry out donations related to
projects to protect endangered wild species such as pangolins, which will not
only help to improve the public image of Chinese companies in Nigeria, but also
enhance the world's cognition of the mammals suffer the most from illegal trade
while providing support to the protection of pangolins worldwide.
5. Conduct scientific research and cooperation.
Conduct scientific research around pangolins, investigating the sources of
pangolins, smuggling routes, and black market transactions, and work with
scientists and pangolin working group experts to study the protection of
pangolins, including the protection of key habitats; find and develop more quick
approaches to detect the pangolin components in the products and determine
their origins.
6. Organize international forums and seminars.
For example, to jointly host the annual “China-Africa Wildlife Conservation
Forum” and set the protection of pangolins as the theme of the discussion.
V. Analysis of the source of pangolins and their products in Nigeria:
1. May originate from Nigeria.
(1). Statistics for 2018 show that Nigeria has seized 14,833 tons of pangolins
and their scales, worth about 900 million US dollars. According to the Nigerian
General Administration of Customs, Nigeria has the highest number of pangolin
seizures in the world.
The Nigerian side said that pangolins were not captured in their country, but
that Nigeria was used as a transit point for illegal smuggling of pangolins and
their products; according to information obtained from the CBCGDF’s volunteer
"African Warrior" investigation, there were local activities to capture and sell
pangolins in Nigeria; due to the cheap price of pangolins in Nigeria and the
huge profit margins of smuggling, several major cases of pangolins in recent
years have been related to Nigeria, which proves that the source of illegal trade
on pangolins has a certain relationship with Nigeria.
2. May be from Cameroon.
According to the statistics of February 22, 2019, Cameroon has seized 20,000
tons of pangolin scales in less than five years.
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Cameroon’s survey in recent years shows that pangolin scales are mainly from
southern and eastern Cameroon, and some illegal smugglers have long
trafficked pangolins and their products, mainly supplying the Nigerian market.
Cameroon and Nigeria are neighbors, both located on the northeastern coast
of the Gulf of Guinea. Both sea and land transport are very convenient, resulting
in frequent illegal smuggling of pangolins between the two countries.
VI. China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
(CBCGDF) has been contributing to this investigation by its undercover
volunteer “African Warrior” in the international field.
Support for the front line:
During the “African Warrior” frontline investigation in Nigeria, CBCDGF actively
contacted relevant channels in Nigeria, including seeking government-level
protection for “African Warrior”;
In order to carry out the undercover investigation on the ground smoothly and
steadily, security measures are taken to protect the personal safety of “African
Warrior”;
Help “African Warrior” find Chinese interperter in Nigeria to solve problems in
language communication.
International cooperation areas:
CBCGDF sent a letter to the President of Nigeria, hopes to strengthen
cooperation with relevant Nigerian departments, protect the endangered
species pangolin, promote the communication between the two peoples, and
build an "ecological belt and road" to contribute to building a community of
shared future for mankind.
CBCGDF sent a letter to the Minister of Environment of Nigeria Mr. Surveyor
Suleiman Hassan, to promote the cooperation on wildlife conservation in
Central Africa. The Nigerian Ministry of the Environment responded positively
and stated that it would do its utmost to help and promote the fight against illegal
wildlife trade.
CBCGDF sent a letter to the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, calling for the
strengthening of publicity and education on the protection of pangolins by
overseas Chinese companies and Chinese communities.
CBCGDF sent a letter to the Nigerian Embassy in China and is committed to
jointly launching a new model of cooperation and international cooperation in
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combating illegal trade and promoting the “Ecological Belt and Road” initiative.
CBCGDF sent a letter to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and received a
positive response from the other party and proposed to work together to cut off
the illegal interests of smugglers through the Nigerian transfer station and
smuggling pangolins.
VII. 2019 Earth Day Initiative: I am a human being, do not eat pangolins!
Protecting pangolins is everyone's obligation. If you have people around you
who are still eating endangered wildlife products, you are sincerely hoped to
come forward to ask these people stop what they do and explain to them that
consumption and eating pangolins are wrong, thus helping them to reject
wildlife products. Personal effort is a part, the government also needs to adopt
effective laws and regulations to effectively control, increase penalties,
strengthen publicity and education, and increase the awareness and action of
protection endangered species from rural to urban areas. Because we are earth
people, we don't eat pangolins!
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A Proposal
Pangolin is an endangered wild animal. In recent years, pangolins have been
hunted by humans for consumption as a food or traditional medicine, leading to
this kind of mammal’s precarious conditions. The state has introduced relevant
legal protection policies that explicitly prohibit the killing, consumption and
illegal trade of pangolins. Although the living conditions of pangolins have
improved to some extent, the number of pangolins is still falling sharply, and the
activities of illegally smuggling pangolins are still rampant. In this regard, we
appeal to the whole society:
1. Protect the habitat of pangolins. Do not capture and hunt pangolins, providing
a good wilderness environment for pangolins.
2. Do not illegally sell and raise pangolins. The public should actively report
violations and assist law enforcement agencies in cracking down on criminals
and resolutely combat various acts that are harmful to endangered wildlife.
3. Do not purchase, consume pangolin and its products. Be a qualified civilized,
law-abiding consumer. It is our responsibility to protect nature and protect
endangered wildlife.
4. Resolutely resist illegal smuggling trade activities involving endangered wild
animals including pangolins. The whole society must act together to protect
biodiversity and protect the planet.
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
Pangolins Working Group
April 19, 2019
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Contact us:
The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
(CBCGDF) Pangolins Working Group – Pangolins Investigation Team in Nigeria,
supported by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development
Foundation, was established in March 2019. It is committed to investigating the
consumption of pangolins in Nigeria and working with all parties in Nigeria to
combat illegal trade. We call on the world to participate in the protection of
pangolins in Nigeria.
Twitter: @CBCGDF_China
Facebook: @CBCGDF1985
Instagram: @cbcgdf
https://cbcgdf.wordpress.com/
Official website: http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/index.html
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China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation calls for
stopping consumption of pangolins, and jointly protect pangolins project public
fundraising QR code:
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation official
website QR code:
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation official
Wechat account QR code:
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China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
International Public Fundraising Link:
https://www.paypal.me/CBCGDFChina
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