Authorities make disturbing discovery in bust at railway station: 'Survival hangs in the balance'

In October, officials in Assam, India, seized 224.74 kilograms of pangolin scales in a wildlife trafficking bust at a railway station. The three people caught smuggling were arrested.

What's happening?

According to Hub News, officials considered the capture "a major success against wildlife trafficking." The scales were given to the Forest Department, while the smugglers await legal action from the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Unfortunately, pangolin scales and claws are in high demand for use in traditional medicine, per the outlet. Additionally, some Asian countries consider the meat a delicacy, while others in Africa hunt it for meat.

Why does pangolin trafficking matter?

Pangolins are the only mammals in the world covered in scales, per Hub News. These scales, made from the same components as our fingernails, help protect them from predators.

Hub News reported that the Indian and Chinese pangolin species live in India. Both are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, but trafficking continues.

According to Nature India, pangolins have already disappeared from parts of East and Southeast Asia. The report warned that the same could happen in India if poaching continues.

Meanwhile, estimates from Traffic suggest that over 1 million pangolins have been poached in the last decade. Most trafficked ones are often violently torn from their families and kept in poor conditions, said the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 

But they're more than just an endangered species — they help keep the ecosystem in balance.

Pangolins eat insects, including termites — bugs that can cause significant damage to trees and homes, per The Nature Conservancy. The group also highlighted that poaching them can put people and animals at risk of disease.

What's being done about pangolin trafficking?

Wildlife trafficking is a significant problem that impacts communities, animals, and ecosystems worldwide. There's no one way to put a stop to it, but many governments and organizations are trying.

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Interpol and the World Customs Organization seized nearly 20,000 animals in one of the largest trafficking busts in 2024. Authorities in India have also seized birds and leopard skins.

Additionally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the addition of seven pangolin species to the endangered animal list to help curtail trafficking.

"There is an urgent need to enhance protection and conservation efforts for these elusive creatures, whose survival hangs in the balance," reported Traffic India, via Hubnews.

Nature India suggested that the country should work with neighboring nations to investigate trafficking. Additionally, the report recommended increasing awareness and behavior change campaigns in local communities.

Individuals can help put an end to pangolin trafficking, too. The World Wildlife Fund encourages people to report any illegal wildlife products they see for sale online to the appropriate authorities.

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