Wildlife Guide · Indonesia & Malaysia
Pangolin
Order Pholidota, family Manidae — eight living species across three genera (Manis, Smutsia, Phataginus)
The world's most trafficked wild mammal — more than a million taken in a single decade.
In brief
Pangolins are the world's most heavily trafficked wild mammals; all eight species are threatened by illegal trade in their keratin scales, used in traditional medicine across Asia, with the Chinese and Sunda pangolins now Critically Endangered.
By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated
Pangolins are widely described as the world's most heavily trafficked wild mammals. All eight species are protected under international law, yet an estimated one million or more were taken from the wild over the past decade to supply black markets — chiefly in China and Vietnam — where their keratin scales are used in traditional medicine and their meat is sold as a luxury. The eight species are not equally threatened: the Chinese and Sunda pangolins are Critically Endangered, the Indian and Philippine pangolins are Endangered, and the four African species are Vulnerable. Every one of them is declining, and they are vanishing largely unseen.
1M+
Estimated pangolins poached in a decade
8
Species — every one listed as threatened
Appendix I
CITES protection — commercial trade banned
~200,000
Insects a pangolin can eat in a day
Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), IUCN Red List — Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group and other references on this page.
Pangolin: Quick Facts
| Order / Family | Pholidota / Manidae (8 species) |
|---|---|
| Diet | Myrmecophage — ants and termites; up to ~200,000 insects per day |
| Body length | 30–90 cm head and body, plus tail (varies by species) |
| Weight | ~1.6 kg (black-bellied) up to ~33 kg (giant ground pangolin) |
| Tongue length | Up to ~25–40 cm; in large species longer than the body |
| Lifespan | Unknown in the wild; up to ~20 years recorded in captivity |
| Gestation | ~70–140 days (African species); about 6–7 months (Chinese pangolin) |
| Young per birth | Usually a single pup (occasionally 2–3 in Asian species) |
| Baby name | Pangopup |
| CITES | Appendix I (all 8 species; in force since January 2017) |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Pholidota |
| Family | Manidae |
| Genera | Manis (Asia), Smutsia & Phataginus (Africa) |
| Species | Eight living species (e.g. Chinese pangolin, Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus, 1758) |
Conservation Status
- IUCN Status
- Varies by species: Vulnerable to Critically Endangered
- Population
- No reliable global estimate; all eight species assessed as declining
- Trend
- Decreasing (all eight species)
- Assessed
- 2019 (Chinese & Sunda); African species 2019; group threatened since 2014
- CITES
- Appendix I (all species; in force from 2 January 2017)
Chinese and Sunda pangolins are Critically Endangered, Indian and Philippine are Endangered, and the four African species are Vulnerable — so a single group-wide IUCN category is misleading.
Did you know?
A pangolin has no teeth at all. It swallows small stones and keratin spines inside its stomach that grind up the ants and termites for it — and its sticky tongue, anchored deep near its pelvis, can be longer than its entire body.
Key Facts: Pangolin
- Eight species exist — four in Asia (Chinese, Sunda, Indian, Philippine) and four in Africa (Temminck's ground, giant ground, white-bellied/tree, black-bellied/long-tailed).
- They are not uniformly Critically Endangered: Chinese and Sunda pangolins are Critically Endangered, Indian and Philippine are Endangered, and the four African species are Vulnerable — but all eight are declining.
- Pangolin scales are made of keratin — the same protein as human fingernails and hair — yet sell for hundreds of dollars per kilogram in traditional medicine markets despite having no proven medicinal value.
- Pangolins are toothless myrmecophages: they use a long, sticky tongue to eat ants and termites almost exclusively, consuming on the order of 200,000 insects a day.
- When threatened, a pangolin curls into a tight, scaled ball — effective armour against lions and leopards, but useless against poachers, who simply pick the animal up.
- No program has yet bred pangolins in captivity and released them back to the wild at meaningful scale, which is why protecting wild populations is the priority.
- China and Vietnam are the principal demand markets, and Africa has increasingly become the source as Asian populations collapse.
Why Are Pangolin Scales So Valuable?
Pangolin scales are composed entirely of keratin — the same structural protein found in human fingernails, hair and rhino horn — and have no scientifically proven medicinal properties. Despite this, they command high prices in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine, where they are claimed to treat conditions from poor circulation to lactation problems. Scales are typically dried, roasted and ground into powder. Demand has been driven by rising middle-class incomes in China and Vietnam, which turned luxury wildlife products — including pangolin meat in high-end restaurants — into aspirational goods. Consumer-awareness campaigns and tighter law have begun to shift attitudes, and in 2020 China removed pangolin scales from the approved ingredient list of its official pharmacopoeia, but enforcement remains inconsistent.
The Shift to African Pangolins
As Asian pangolin populations collapsed, criminal networks pivoted to Africa. The two African ground pangolins (Temminck's in East and Southern Africa, and the giant ground pangolin in Central Africa) and the two tree-dwelling species in West and Central Africa are now poached at industrial scale and shipped to Asia. Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and East African ports appear repeatedly in major seizure records. The Africa-to-Asia trade typically runs through multiple transshipment points, using shipping containers and falsified customs paperwork, and individual multi-tonne scale seizures have been recorded.
Can Rescued Pangolins Survive?
Pangolins are notoriously hard to keep alive in captivity. They are specialist feeders dependent on particular ant and termite species, and they are easily stressed by handling and unnatural environments — leaving them prone to respiratory infection and digestive failure. A handful of programs have bred pangolins (a Sunda population to a third generation, and Chinese pangolins at zoos in Taipei and Prague), but none has yet bred and released animals back to the wild at meaningful scale. Rehabilitation can succeed when animals arrive in good condition and are held in semi-wild enclosures with natural forage, but success rates stay low. Prevention — stopping poaching before it happens — is the most effective intervention, which is why WARN concentrates on anti-poaching patrol support, community reporting and faster seizure response.
Distribution & Habitat
Pangolins live across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The four Asian species range through South and Southeast Asia and southern China: the Chinese pangolin across southern China and the eastern Himalayas, the Sunda pangolin through mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda islands, the Indian pangolin across the subcontinent, and the Philippine pangolin only on Palawan. The four African species occupy forests and savannahs from West Africa to Southern Africa. Some, like the two Smutsia ground pangolins, are terrestrial burrowers; others, like the white-bellied and black-bellied pangolins, are arboreal and use a prehensile tail to climb.
The eight pangolin species at a glance
| Species | Region | IUCN status | Habit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) | Southern China, Himalayas | Critically Endangered | Ground-dwelling |
| Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) | SE Asia, Sunda islands | Critically Endangered | Ground & climbing |
| Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) | Indian subcontinent | Endangered | Ground-dwelling |
| Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) | Palawan, Philippines | Endangered | Ground & climbing |
| Temminck's ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) | East & Southern Africa | Vulnerable | Ground-dwelling |
| Giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) | Central & West Africa | Vulnerable | Ground-dwelling |
| White-bellied / tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) | West & Central Africa | Vulnerable | Arboreal |
| Black-bellied / long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) | West & Central Africa | Vulnerable | Arboreal |
What WARN Does
WARN focuses current pangolin rescue funding on Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan, while keeping Vietnam, China and the African trade-route context live so supporters researching the wider pangolin crisis find accurate information. Because no captive-breeding-for-release program works at scale, that funding goes to protecting wild animals at source — anti-poaching patrols, community reporting networks and seizure-response teams in partner range countries.
Because pangolins can't be reliably bred and returned to the wild, every animal still out there is irreplaceable — and protecting them at source is everything. Your gift helps fund the anti-poaching patrols, community reporting networks and seizure-response teams WARN supports across its pangolin range countries, stopping the trafficking before it starts.
How does the pangolin compare?
Pangolin: Frequently Asked Questions
What are pangolin scales made of?
How many pangolins are left in the wild?
Why are pangolins so hard to save in captivity?
Is the pangolin trade legal?
What do pangolins eat?
Where do pangolins live?
Are pangolins dangerous?
How long do pangolins live?
How big is a pangolin?
Sources & References
Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.
Related Rescue Guides
Focused answers for people searching how pangolin rescue works in high-need regions.
Malaysia · Wildlife trafficking
Pangolin Rescue in Malaysia
Pangolin rescue in Malaysia focuses on intercepting trafficked Sunda pangolins, stabilising seized animals, and releasing suitable survivors into protected habitat through specialist rehabilitation partners.
Malaysia · Transit routes
Malaysia Wildlife Trafficking
Malaysia wildlife trafficking matters because the country sits on key regional routes for pangolins, birds, reptiles and big-cat parts, making customs detection and live-animal rescue capacity especially important.
Pangolin rescue · Seizure response
What Happens to Seized Pangolins?
Seized pangolins are assessed by specialist teams, stabilised in quiet quarantine, treated for stress or injury, and released only if they are healthy, wild-behaving and have safe habitat available.
UK donors · Wildlife rescue intent
Donate to Wildlife Rescue from the UK
UK donors can donate to wildlife rescue abroad through WARN — choose a species appeal at /appeals for pangolins, tigers, gorillas, orangutans, rhinos, lions or elephants, or give generally at /donate for WARN to fund partner-led rescue across its 17-country network.
Wildlife rescue · Pangolins
Donate to Pangolin Rescue
You can donate to pangolin rescue through WARN at /appeals/pangolins — gifts fund partner-led seizure triage, low-stress rehabilitation and release monitoring for Sunda pangolins in Malaysia and Indonesia and Indian pangolins in regional trafficking context.
Anti-trafficking · Wildlife crime
Donate to Stop Wildlife Trafficking
You can donate to stop wildlife trafficking through WARN — gifts fund partner-led customs detection support, live-seizure veterinary triage, quarantine and sanctuary placement for pangolins, parrots, big cats and exotic pets across the 17-country partner network.
Donor intent · Rescue giving
Animal Rescue Donations — How to Give Effectively
Animal rescue donations through WARN fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue, working-animal clinics and anti-trafficking triage across a 17-country network — pay in GBP or USD at /donate with full receipts, knowing WARN is a UK Community Interest Company global not-for-profit, not a registered charity and not Gift Aid eligible.
US donors · International rescue giving
Donate to Animal Rescue from the United States
US donors can donate to animal rescue abroad through WARN in USD with full payment receipts — gifts fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across a 17-country network, knowing WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a US 501(c)(3) and not tax-deductible.
US donors · Wildlife rescue intent
Donate to Wildlife Rescue from the United States
US donors can donate to wildlife rescue abroad through WARN — choose a species appeal at /appeals for pangolins, tigers, gorillas, orangutans, rhinos, lions or elephants, or give generally at /donate for WARN to fund partner-led rescue across its 17-country network in USD.
US donors · Rescue giving
Animal Rescue Donations — US Donor Guide
Animal rescue donations through WARN fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue, working-animal clinics and anti-trafficking triage across a 17-country network — pay in USD at /donate with full payment receipts, knowing WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a US 501(c)(3) and not tax-deductible.
Donor intent · Sanctuary giving
Donate to an Animal Sanctuary
Sanctuary donations typically fund daily care, veterinary bills and enclosure costs at a specific facility — WARN does not operate its own sanctuaries but makes grants to established partner sanctuaries and rehabilitation centres across 17 countries, channelling your gift through /donate or species appeals at /appeals.
Donor intent · Wildlife giving
Wildlife Charity Donation
Wildlife charity donations through WARN fund partner-led anti-poaching, seizure triage, rehabilitation and habitat-linked rescue for pangolins, tigers, gorillas, orangutans, elephants and more — give at /appeals or /donate with full receipts, knowing WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit grant network, not a registered charity.
Donor intent · Save animals
Donate to Save Animals
You can donate to save animals through WARN at /donate or /appeals — gifts fund partner-led street dog CNVR, community cat TNVR, wildlife anti-trafficking, working-equine clinics and rehabilitation programmes across a 17-country network with full donation receipts.
Donor intent · International giving
International Animal Charity Donation
International animal charity donations through WARN fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across 17 countries — pay in GBP, USD or EUR at /donate with full receipts, knowing WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a registered charity and not Gift Aid eligible.
Corporate giving · CSR
Corporate Donation to Animal Charity
Companies can make corporate donations to animal welfare through WARN at /donate or by emailing for partnership arrangements — gifts fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across 17 countries, with transparent registration for CSR due diligence at /about/registration-status.
UK donors · Pangolin sponsorship
Sponsor a Pangolin from the UK
You can sponsor a pangolin from the UK through WARN from £5/month at /adopt/pangolin — sponsorship funds seizure triage, low-stress rehabilitation and release monitoring for Sunda pangolins in Malaysia and Indonesia, not ownership of a named individual pangolin.
US donors · Pangolin sponsorship
Sponsor a Pangolin from the United States
You can sponsor a pangolin from the US through WARN from $5/month at /adopt/pangolin — sponsorship funds seizure triage, rehabilitation and release monitoring in Malaysia and Indonesia, not ownership of a named individual pangolin.
UK donors · Symbolic pangolin adoption
Adopt a Pangolin from the UK
You can adopt a pangolin from the UK through WARN's symbolic adoption from £5/month at /adopt/pangolin — your gift funds seizure triage, rehabilitation and release monitoring for Sunda pangolins in Malaysia and Indonesia, not ownership of a named individual pangolin.
US donors · Symbolic pangolin adoption
Adopt a Pangolin from the United States
You can adopt a pangolin from the US through WARN's symbolic adoption from $5/month at /adopt/pangolin — your gift funds seizure triage and rehabilitation in Malaysia and Indonesia, not ownership of a named individual pangolin.
Terms used on this page
Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.
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