Press Release – 15 September 2025
*Statement adapted from a press release by the IUCN.
Pangolins Still at Risk: New Pangolin Specialist Group Report Calls for Stronger Global Action
All eight pangolin species remain at risk of extinction because of overexploitation and habitat loss, according to a new global report commissioned by the CITES Secretariat and prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC) Pangolin Specialist Group (PSG), which was released on Monday, 25 August 2025. The study presents the most up-to-date and detailed review of pangolin conservation status and legal and illegal trade, using data provided by 32 countries.
“Legal frameworks already exist but have not stopped the persistent illegal pangolin trade. The responsibility now lies with national authorities to enforce existing legislation, increase collaboration on a national and international basis, and intensify national and regional conservation efforts to safeguard these unique species.” said Sarah Heinrich, Law Enforcement and Combating Wildlife Trafficking Co-Chair of the PSG, and co-author of the report.
Despite receiving the highest level of CITES protection through their inclusion in Appendix I of the Convention, pangolins continue to be trafficked at concerning levels. The report states that more than half a million individual pangolins worth of products (e.g., scales) were seized during the eight-year period the report covered (2016-2024), with demand for scales, particularly in parts of Asia, driving ongoing exploitation. It also noted that many pangolin range states struggle to implement effective conservation measures, due to limited resources, weak population monitoring, and limited impact from awareness raising campaigns.
“While demand reduction is essential to saving pangolins, current efforts have been limited in scope and often not guided by science or best practice. This has weakened their impact. What is urgently needed now is evidence-based scaling-up of these initiatives,” explained Yifu Wang, PSG East Asia Regional Co-Chair and co-author of the report.
Encouragingly, pangolins have been rediscovered in areas where they were previously thought to be extinct, which the report described as evidence of the species’ resilience when conservation is targeted and well designed. The authors stressed the importance of more effective law enforcement, greater investment in science-driven demand reduction, and greater and more meaningful involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples living alongside pangolins to mitigate the threat of overexploitation.
“The efforts made by some countries to reduce overexploitation are welcome,” said Dan Challender, CITES Focal Point for PSG, former PSG Chair, and co-author of the report. “But much more is required — particularly ensuring that local communities and Indigenous peoples are actively engaged in a meaningful way to conserve pangolins. The evidence shows these groups play a vital role in achieving conservation success.”
According to the report, a major barrier is the unequal access to advanced enforcement tools across regions. It highlighted that increased use of wildlife forensics would provide authorities with better options to track and prosecute traffickers.
“Commendable efforts have been made worldwide to disrupt pangolin trafficking,” noted Alain Delon Mouafo Takoune, PSG Member and co-author of the report. “However, a clear gap persists between the global North and South in applying advanced methods such as forensic analysis. Bridging this divide through training, technical exchange, and financial support will be key to the future of pangolins.”
The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — a global network of experts dedicated to securing a future for pangolins — said this latest report underscores the urgent need for countries, conservation actors, and communities to scale up efforts and prevent the loss of one of the world’s most unique and threatened mammals.
Full report is available from the upcoming CITES CoP20 program, and pangolin conservation action plans and monitoring guidelines are available at: https://pangolinsg.org/conservation/.
