CoP17 Prop. 12

Transfer of African pangolin species Manis tetradactyla, M. tricuspis, M. gigantea
and M. temminckii from Appendix II to Appendix I
Proponents: Angola, Botswana, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia,Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo and United States of America
Note: This document should be read in conjunction with the introduction to the pangolin proposals.
Summary: There are four species of pangolin in Africa. Three, Manis gigantea (Giant Pangolin), M. tricuspis(White-bellied Pangolin) and M. tetradactyla (Black-bellied Pangolin), occur in moist forests and associatedhabitats in West and Central Africa. The fourth, M. temminckii (Temminck’s Ground Pangolin), is morewidespread and occurs in drier habitats principally in eastern and southern Africa. All are solitary and givebirth to a single young. Gestation period is taken as five months except for M. temminckii, where it may bethree to four months. This and M. gigantea may only breed every second year; in the other two species
breeding is believed to be aseasonal and more or less continuous. Generation time is taken as seven yearsfor M. tetradactyla and M. tricuspis, and nine years for M. gigantea and M. temminckii.
Manis gigantea
Manis gigantea is a terrestrial species discontinuously distributed in 18 range States in West and Central
Africa from Senegal eastwards to South Sudan 1, Uganda and Tanzania. It was previously considered extinct
in Rwanda but recent evidence suggests it still persists there2. The CITES Management Authority of Uganda
reported a national population estimate, based on camera trapping, of just over 2000 individuals, withdensities of up to six individuals per km 2. Based on observed population densities for M. temminckii, also aterrestrial species, this seems high. The species reportedly generally avoids areas of high human impact, but
has been found in forest mosaics. It is classified in the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable (2014).
Manis tricuspis
Manis tricuspis is a semi-terrestrial species occurring in 22 range States from Guinea-Bissau through muchof West and Central Africa to southwest Kenya and northwest Tanzania, south to northwestern Zambia andnorthern Angola. The species is known to be present in modified habitats, including secondary growth in oilpalm groves, teak plantations and secondary rainforest as well as agricultural areas of former lowland
rainforest. It can reportedly be found at relatively high densities in suitable habitat. Research in Benin has
suggested an average density of 0.84 individuals per km2 during the dry season in both plantations andnatural forest. This species is classified in the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable (2014).
Manis tetradactyla
Manis tetradactyla has been recorded in 11 range States from Sierra Leone eastward through West Africa tothe Congo Basin. It may also occur in Angola and Uganda. It is the most arboreal of African pangolins andmay therefore be expected to be the most forest-dependent, although has also been recorded in alteredforests and farmlandError! Bookmark not defined.. It is classified in the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable (2014).
Manis temminckii
Manis temminckii is recorded in 14 range States and is possibly extinct in a 15th (Swaziland). It is the mostwidespread African pangolin species occurring from southeast Chad and extreme northeast Central African
Republic through much of East and southern Africa as far south as South Africa. It mainly inhabits savannah
woodland with dense scrub as well as floodplain grasslands and sandveld, and occurs on well-managed
livestock farms. Limited information is available on population densities. Research in the Northern Cape
Province of South Africa showed average densities of 0.24-0.3 individuals per km2. In the Gokwe district ofZimbabwe they have been estimated at 0.1 individuals per km2. Manis temminckii is classified in the IUCNRed List as Vulnerable (2014).

The main factors believed to be affecting African pangolins are exploitation and, in the case of the three
forest-dwelling species, habitat loss and degradation. African pangolins continue to be hunted locally for theirmeat and use of their body parts and derivatives in traditional medicines. As well as local use there isevidence of (growing) international trade most of which is illicit, and involves pangolin derivatives, mainly
scales, to Asian markets. Recent research suggests that the proportion of pangolins hunted has increased
significantly compared to other vertebrates in sub-Saharan Africa, with a 9-fold increase from 2005 to 2014.
Prices for pangolins in Nigeria (where all three forest-dwelling species occur) have reportedly increased
10-fold over the last five years. In Zimbabwe (where only M. temminckii occurs) the number of poaching1

CoP17 Prop. 12
cases has been shown to be increasing rapidly, and as of 2015, poachers and traffickers from neighbouring
countries have reportedly become involved in pangolin poaching in Zimbabwe 3. Seizures of African pangolin
derivatives in trade have been made with increasing frequency in recent years. These have mainly involved
scales destined for Asian markets; some shipments have been detected in Europe en route to Asia 4.
According to the Supporting Statement, almost 15,000kg of scales from African pangolins were seized
between 2013 and 2015, representing between 4,000 and 25,000 animals, depending on the species
involved.
The apparently growing international trade is believed to have two causes: declining availability of Asiatic
pangolin derivatives, and increasing trade globally between African nations and East Asia, which facilitates
trafficking of these species5.
The scale or proportion of the illegal trade in the different species is difficult to determine from seizure data
given the difficultly in differentiating between pangolin species on the basis of the products in trade (chieflyscales).
Conversion of forest is believed to have an impact on M. gigantea, M. tricuspis and M. tetradactyla. Overallloss of tree cover in West and Central Africa, where these species occur, has been estimated at just under
4% in the period 2000 to 2014, or roughly 0.25% p.a.6. Rates of loss in Central Africa, where roughly 80% of
the total forest cover in this area is found, are lower (ca. 0.2%) than they are in West Africa. All three species
are found in modified habitats, but there is little information on their ability to persist in areas of entirely
modified habitat. As well as affecting habitat for the species, the opening up of areas for activities such as
logging also improves access for hunting.
Manis temminckii is likely to be less affected by loss of tree cover but may be affected by other land-use
changes. There is mortality from electrocution on electric fences, especially in South Africa. Mortality rates of
one individual per 11km of electrified fence per year have been estimated, with a bias towards malemortalities, probably because males range more widely than females.
All four species have been included in Appendix II since1994 (M. temminckii was listed in Appendix I
between 1975 and 1994). Trade since then reported in the CITES Trade Database has been very limited.
Most has been in M. tricuspis, with an annual average of 50 live animals, 20 skins and 40kg of scales
exported across all range States in the period 1994 to 2014. Annual averages of round 150kg of scales and12 skins per year of M. gigantea were also recorded. Recorded trade in the other two species has been
negligible.
A number of range States have prohibited hunting and trade in native pangolin species.
Analysis: Information on population status of all four African species of pangolins is scarce. None of them
have a restricted range and, although they may occur at low densities (less than one individual per square
kilometre in the case of the only two, Manis tricuspis and M. temminckii, for which reliable information isavailable), none is likely to have a small population. There is no population trend information. Changes inpopulation have been inferred from the presumed impacts of habitat alteration and hunting. Rates of
conversion of habitat for the three forest-dwelling species (M. gigantea, M. tetradactyla and M. tricuspis) arerelatively low (roughly 0.25% p.a.) and would not in themselves lead to reductions in line with the guidelines
in Annex 1 of Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16), particularly as all species are known to occur in modifiedhabitats. Given their low productivity, hunting is very likely to have an impact on populations of all species.
There is evidence that hunting intensity for pangolins in general in Africa has increased markedly in recentyears. However, there is insufficient information to determine whether this has led to declines in line with theguidelines in the Resolution. There is therefore insufficient information to determine whether any of thespecies meets the criteria for inclusion in Appendix I.
Reviewers: D. Pietersen, C. Waterman and C. Shepherd.
References:
Information not referenced in the Summary section is from the Supporting Statement.
1 FFI (2015) Remote cameras offer glimpse into the ‘forgotten forests’ of South Sudan. http://www.fauna-flora.org/news/remote-cameras-offer-glimpse-into-the-forgotten-forests-of-south-sudan/. Viewed on 06 June 2016.
2 Pietersen, D. (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK.
3 Shepherd, C.R., Connelly, E., Hywood, L. & Cassey, P. (2016) Taking a stand against illegal wildlife trade: theZimbabwean approach to pangolin conservation. Oryx, Published online: 27 April 2016.

2

CoP17 Prop. 12

4Gomez, L., Leupen, B.T.C. & Hwa, T.K. (2016) The trade of African pangolins to Asia: a brief case study of pangolinshipments from Nigeria. TRAFFIC Bulletin 28:3–5.
5 Challender, D.W.S., Baillie, J.E.M., Waterman, C., Pietersen, D., Nash, H., Wicker, L., Parker, K., Thomson, P., Nguyen,T.V., Hywood, L. & Shepherd, C.R. (2016) On Scaling Up Pangolin Conservation. TRAFFIC Bulletin 28:19-21.
6 Global Forest Watch (2016) http://blog.globalforestwatch.org/. Viewed on 16 June 2016.

3