Simon Denyer On WildAids‌ New Drive To ‌Protect Pangolins In Africa

(Photo : Simon‌ ‌Denyer‌)

WildAid, a San Francisco-based conservation group, has launched a new campaign in Cameroon to curb consumption of pangolin meat. Simon Denyer, a senior consultant with the group, explains what's behind the campaign and what its goals are. 

Why pangolins?

Denyer: Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are reclusive and nocturnal animals that roll up into a ball when threatened. They are seldom seen in the wild, and are very hard to raise in captivity. Yet, pangolins have become the most heavily trafficked wild mammal in the world. Up to 200,000 are estimated to be taken from the wild every year across Africa and Asia. Recognizing the threat of extinction, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned all international trade in 2017 in all eight pangolin species found around the world.

The biggest threat to pangolins is demand for scales for use in traditional medicine in China and Vietnam. That has already brought pangolins close to extinction across Asia, and the trade in scales has now moved to Africa, threatening the four species of pangolin found there. But there is another threat stalking pangolins in Africa - demand for their meat, which is seen as a delicacy in many West and Central African countries. The rapid expansion of African cities, and the trade in pangolin meat to supply urban consumers is also placing unsustainable burdens on pangolin populations.

Why Cameroon?

Denyer: Cameroon is a key habitat for three species of pangolin, the giant pangolin, the largest species which lives on the ground, and the tree dwelling white-bellied and black-bellied pangolins. But WildAid's market research has discovered alarmingly high levels of pangolin meat consumption in Cameroon. A survey of more than 400 bushmeat consumers in the cities of Douala and Mbalmayo found 49 percent had consumed pangolin meat in the past 12 months, a much higher number than we found in similar surveys in neighboring Nigeria and Gabon. When respondents  were  asked  which  forms  of  bushmeat  they  would eat  if  cost  was  not  an  issue,  pangolin  topped  the  list  as  the  most  popular  choice, followed by porcupine and crocodile.

What is driving the consumption of pangolin meat?

Denyer: Our survey found that pangolin meat is not exclusively reserved for special occasions but is often consumed in restaurants or when people visit their hometown or village. Bushmeat consumers cited taste as their top reason for choosing pangolin meat. But they also said pangolin meat was fresher, healthier or had fewer chemicals than ordinary meat. 

That preference for pangolin meat represents a formidable challenge to any pangolin conservation campaign, but we believe there is hope.

So how can WildAid convince people to change their habits?

Denyer: The first task is to raise awareness of Cameroon's own laws. In response to the CITES ban on international trade, the Cameroonian government banned all hunting, killing, trade and consumption of pangolins within the country in 2017. Yet awareness of the law is low. We did a separate survey among residents of five key cities in Cameroon, but found that only 29 percent were even aware of the law banning trade in all three species.

The second task is to raise awareness of the threats facing pangolins, because many people are not aware they are facing extinction. Pangolins also perform a valuable role in the ecosystem, digging holes that aerate the soil and eating up to 20,000 ants and termites every day that could otherwise damage crops and other plants. Again, awareness of their ecological role is low, and we want to change that.

But what's perhaps most encouraging of all is that we found that urban Cameroonians are overwhelmingly proud of their country's incredible wildlife and natural heritage, and proud that pangolins have made their home here.

What form will the campaign take?

WildAid has enlisted influential and cool Cameroonians to become the voices and faces of the campaign. Leading musicians Stanley Enouw and LOCKO, as well as legendary footballers Roger Milla, Rigobert Song and Patrick Mboma have all volunteered to become wildlife ambassadors. They have recorded short video Public Service Announcements talking about their own pride in Cameroon's wildlife and their passion for preserving it, while also educating people about pangolins. The messages will be carried on television, the radio, social media and billboards, with the backing of the government of Cameroon and leading media houses. We believe that their voices will help turn Cameroonians from consumers of pangolins to protectors of pangolins, and throw this incredible, unique and beautiful animal a much-needed lifeline.