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The scale of Nigeria's involvement in the trans-national illegal pangolin trade: Temporal and spatial patterns and the effectiveness of wildlife trade regulations

Emogor, Charles A., Ingram, Daniel J., Coad, Lauren, Worthington, Thomas A., Dunn, Andrew, Imong, Inaoyom, Balmford, Andrew (2021) The scale of Nigeria's involvement in the trans-national illegal pangolin trade: Temporal and spatial patterns and the effectiveness of wildlife trade regulations. Biological Conservation, 264 . Article Number 109365. ISSN 0006-3207. (doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109365) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:100939)

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https://doi-org.chain.kent.ac.uk/10.1016/j.biocon....

Abstract

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits commercial trans-national trade in pangolin specimens. However, African pangolins are continually trafficked to Asia for traditional medicine, with Nigeria considered a key hub. Using reported Nigeria-linked pangolin seizure data and interviews with Nigerian law enforcement officials, we a) characterised Nigeria's involvement in global pangolin trafficking January 2010–September 2021, particularly observing trafficking trends after pangolin's CITES Appendix I listing; b) estimated the minimum number of pangolins whose scales are in Nigeria-linked seizures January 2010–September 2021, and; c) assessed ongoing efforts within Nigeria to curb pangolin trafficking. Nigeria-linked seizures involved 190,407 kg of pangolin derivatives (99.9% scales) from a minimum of 799,343 pangolins (95% confidence interval; 625,944-996,353) of four species (see caveats in Methods). All shipments confiscated in transit were destined for Asia, with a rapid increase in the mass of maritime shipments over time. Furthermore, stockpiling of pangolin derivatives for overseas shipment is perhaps a prominent trafficking model in Nigeria. Nigeria's law enforcement efforts improved from 2017, the same year Nigeria apparently began playing a hub role. The impact of pangolin's CITES Appendix I listing on pangolin trafficking was unclear, as the marked rise in seizures from 2017 when the listing became effective, coincided with improvements in Nigerian law enforcement efforts. COVID-19–induced travel restrictions likely reduced trafficking activities in 2020 but activities may have fully resumed in 2021. This study provides new information to inform effective enforcement and policy formulation efforts to protect African pangolins.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109365
Uncontrolled keywords: CITESIllegal wildlife tradePholidotaTraffickingWildlife traffickingAfrican pangolinsCOVID-19
Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history > QH75 Conservation (Biology)
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Daniel Ingram
Date Deposited: 19 Apr 2023 08:52 UTC
Last Modified: 21 Apr 2023 14:56 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/100939 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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