By Shreya Dasgupta
Pangolin—the world's most trafficked mammal—continues to be killed in huge numbers.
On Wednesday, Chinese customs officials announced that they had seized more than three metric tons (3,000 kilograms or 6,600 pounds) of pangolin scales in Shanghai. This is the country's largest-ever smuggling case involving pangolin parts, officials reportedly said.
Customs officials discovered the massive amount of scales on Dec. 10, 2016. The scales had been packed in 101 bags concealed within a timber consignment imported from Africa. Some 5,000 to 7,500 wild pangolins are estimated to have been killed for these scales, officials told ShanghaiDaily.com.
Three people have been arrested so far, and the case is still under investigation according to South China Morning Post.
Customs finds 3 tons of pangolin scales https://t.co/7NvHCd1nMf— Shanghai Daily (@Shanghai Daily)1482898664.0
Pangolins use their scaly armor to protect themselves. Unfortunately, these protective scales have become the very reason for their population collapse.
Today, eight species of pangolins survive, four each in Asia and Africa. All four Asian species are on the verge of extinction, while the African species are moving towards a similar fate, thanks to rising demand for pangolin meat and scales in China.
Although pangolin scales are made of keratin, just like human fingernails and rhino horns, people (incorrectly) believe that they contain medicinal properties. Traders claim that pangolin scales can promote menstruation and lactation, and treat rheumatism and arthritis. But these claims remain unproven. Consumption of pangolins has also become a status symbol as supply becomes scarce and demand increases.
The three ton seizure is just the tip of an iceberg, officials say.
According to a new study published in Conservation Letters, more than 21,000 kilograms (~46,000 pounds) of scales and 23,109 individual pangolins were recorded in a total of 206 seizure reports between January 2008 and March 2016. This is equivalent to nearly 66,000 individuals, the researchers estimate.
Most seizures were made at three Chinese cities—Fangchenggang, Kunming and Guangzhou. This suggests that "Interventions in these cities could have a disproportionately strong impact on the entire illegal pangolin trade network," the authors write in the paper.
Vietnam appears to be the major source country for illegal pangolins seized in China, the study found, with Fangchenggang the major entry point. Myanmar, too, serves as an important source of pangolins and is fast emerging as a major transit hub for smuggled pangolins and their parts to meet China's demands.
All eight species were recently up-listed to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This bans international trade in these animals and represents the highest level of protection available under international law.
But disrupting the illegal pangolin trade will require "significant cooperation and coordination between China's dispersed law enforcement parties: customs in screening cargo, urban administrative police in inspecting of markets, traffic police in checking private cars, People's Armed Police and forestry police in monitoring borders and remote areas," the researchers write.
Reposted with permission from our media associate Mongabay.
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
- 3 New Documentaries to Watch While Quarantined This Earth Day ... ›
- Movies to Watch This Earth Day: EcoWatch Staff Picks - EcoWatch ›
- 3 New Environmental Docs to Watch This Fall - EcoWatch ›
- Earth Day 2021: Join the Global Youth Climate Summit ›
- Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth Day – It’s Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts ›