Pangolin hunting and trafficking in the forest–savannah transition area of Cameroon

Pangolins have long been hunted for food and scales. Information on local hunting strategies and the patterns of pangolin trafficking around sourcing areas is limited for African range countries, despite the potential of such knowledge to inform monitoring approaches and conservation interventions. Questionnaires were completed with 367 people from 20 villages around two national parks in Cameroon to learn about their hunting practices and local pangolin trading and trafficking patterns. We found that ‘tracking’ was the preferred method of hunting pangolins. Setting traps on dead fallen logs and burrows improved the likelihood of trapping pangolins. White-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis (Rafinesque 1820) was the most traded species and giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea (Illiger 1815) the most sought after. No evidence was found for trade in black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla [Linnaeus 1766]). Most people said pangolin prices have increased. We also identified a pangolin scale trafficking network operating from rural communities to neighbouring cities. Though most recognize hunting pangolin is illegal, ~30% of respondents indicated that they are engage in pangolin hunting.