China Still Uses Pangolin Scales in Medicine

pangolin's defensive reflex

Despite banning the use of pangolin scales in traditional Chinese medicine, the scales, similar to human keratine (fingernails), are still being used in eight patent medicines on the China's official pharmacopoeia according to a Environmental Investigative Service (EIS), a London based NGO. Raw scales have been removed. Pangolin scales are being used as an ingredient by 56 companies, and an additional 165 have legal authority to do so says a report released by EIS. in June, China claimed it was banning the use of scales, which have no known medicinal application in Western medicine, along with protecting three pagolin species under threat of extinction from illegal trade-- Chinese (Manis pentadactyla), Sunda (M. javanica) and Indian (M. crassicaudata). As well as maintaining a legal use for pagolin scales, EIS believes that China's national health insurance covers these legal medicines that contain processed scales.

confiscated scales shipped to China

Chinese conservationists maintain China is making progress in stopping trading of pagolins for their scales. Eradication is foreseeable according to an environmental non-profit that helped obtain the ban on raw scales (yinpian). Companies that want to manufacture medicines using scales [photo right, courtesy TRAFFIC] must obtain them from government stockpiles, but this system lacks transparency with abundant opportunities to launder illegal scales sourced from throughout Africa and Asia. A recent report from a Washington DC NGO said the market in pangolin scales is growing at a rapid rate (400%). Between 2015 and 2019, 253 metric tons were confiscated.

More:  A pagolin story with a happy ending comes from South Africa.   In April conservation authorities rescued a Temminck’s pangolin, also known as a ground pangolin Smutsia temminckii, from the illegal wildlife trade.  Rescued pagolins are often dehydrated and starving since they do not eat or drink when captured due to extreme stress.  Ally also had another medical condition: she was pregnant.  Staff at Johannesburg Veterinarian Hospital had to be very careful not to stress Ally too much or she would miscarry.  

As soon as she gained enough weight and was healthy enough for release, they took her to the Limpopo Valley where she enjoyed more freedom, but was still carefully monitored.  Ally did not feel comfortable in her new home, so her caretakers too her to another location which she seemed to like better.  Her relocation team kept tabs on her via radio, camera traps and satellite tracker with minimal interference.  The teams gradual and sensitive release of Ally brought results.  In August she was no longer alone.  A hidden camera showed she had given birth to a tiny pup.  The birth by a rescued pagonlin is the first recorded.  Usually, when pangolins give birth in the trade or in captivity, even when they are in the hospital, they abandon the pup.; Look at this two minute video of Ally and her offspring.