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Biodiversity.
A ‘vaccine’ more than necessary for the planet
Environmental organizations demand that the Chinese government’s veto on cra and wild animal consumption be more severe to achieve greater sanitary control of the pandemic and preserve wildlife
For the vast majority of the western population, the pangoln was a complete unknown in 2019. But after the outbreak of the health crisis in Covid-19 became one of the main suspects of contagion to humans a virus that is dangerously approaching half a million deaths worldwide and is already present in more than 200 countries.
There are eight species within the family of this scaled mammal and its natural habitat is in the eastern part of china, southeast asia and central and south africa. In addition to being one of those exotic foods that the Asian population likes so much, the use of its scales medicinally is also very common, making this animal a very precious asset in the East. Most studies indicate that, just as happened with the civet in 2003 with the spread of SARS, pangolin was the intermediary that caused a common virus in bats like Covid-19 to affect humans.
Although at the moment they are only suspicions and there is nothing clear about the origin of the virus, The Chinese government decided on February 24 to ban trafficking, hunting, consumption and cra, either on farms or in captivity, of this and other wild animals as a precaution. In total, this regulation affects 550 mammals, 1440 birds, 416 reptiles and 400 species of wild amphibians from China. For medicinal uses or to use their skins, trade with these species is still allowed, says the doctor. Aili Kang, CEO of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Asia.
THE 33 ANIMALS THAT CAN BE RAISED IN CHINA
- 17 farm animals Pigs, cows, turkeys, chickens and others common in the West. It should be noted that the dog and cat have recently ceased to be considered as such, so their breeding is prohibited and they will be classified as pets.
- 16 special animals Deer, ducks or ostriches are some of these species whose breeding and human consumption are allowed. Within these 16, there are others such as the arctic fox or mink that continue to breed to trade in their fur.
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But China has not been the only country to take action. Vietnam It is reforming its policies to deal with wildlife trafficking, as well as Indonesia and Singapore. In Africa, you pass as Gabn have passed a law to prevent trade in bats and pangolins and in Malawi They have gone further and have banned trade in wild animal meat, adds Kang about all these countries in which the pangolin is part of the native fauna.
That loophole left by the law for the medicinal use of these animals and the high demand that there are in certain Asian countries for their supposed healing properties is causing the black market to find a perfect gap to act, as indicated Gemma Rodrguez, director of the species program of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Spain. The ban on trade in pangolin at certain authorized sites and without adequate control and restrictions has caused illegal trade to emerge. According to our studies In China and Vietnam, most establishments continue to sell both pangolin meat and scales without authorization. for medicinal use.
But as Rodrguez comments, it is very difficult to control and quantify the number of species that move in this black market. The only clear record can be obtained through the seizures made at customs. Through this figure it is estimated that it has been possible to reach kill a million pangolins in the last 10 years. Other studies such as that of the University of Sussex, UK, indicate that In the last year alone, 2.7 million specimens were hunted in Africa. In 2019 a ship illegally carrying 30 tons was seized in Malaysia from pangoln. The figures dance, but in all cases they are very high. They are very complex markets and only part of what is being traded is seized, but it is estimated that the total money that moves the illegal trafficking of wild animals on the planet it oscillates between 8,000 and 20,000 million euros a year.
Endangered
This illegal trade and indiscriminate hunting are causing all pangolin species, both Asian and African, to be threatened. According to the categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in China two are in critical danger of extinction, and the other two are in danger. Given this shortage, the Chinese market covers its high demand by trading with pangolins of africa. The four species that exist on this continent are also at risk and have been classified as vulnerable. by IUCN, points out Rodrguez
But, what is it that the pangolin has so that its demand continues being so high in a situation of sanitary risk? In China and Vietnam mainly, popular beliefs attribute special healing properties to the scales of this animal. Believed to cure from depression to lack of milk in lactating women, they have even been associated with anticancer properties. But these flakes have been shown to be keratin, just like nails and human hair. The problem is that until recently, health authorities included them in their catalog of publicly funded official medicines. That the administration itself encourages the use of these drugs sends a very dangerous message to the rest of the population, explains Rodrguez.
Therefore, the situation of the pangolin faces a triple problem: the health risk, the danger of extinction of the species and the black market. This is the reason why both WWF and WSC demand that the Chinese authorities extend this ban on the consumption of pangolin for medicinal use. Even though the Chinese government’s effort is being greater than in 2003 with SARS, the prohibition should be more restrictive for our own good and that of wildlife. If the use of these wild species in traditional medicine is not prohibited, the risk of another similar pandemic in the future is high.Kang points out.
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