Opinion Editorial: Pangolin use in TCM vile, unacceptable and futile

Written by Rachael Bale, senior editor of National Geographic’s animal desk and contributor of the Wildlife Watch project. This opinion editorial was published on the 15 February 2020 (World Pangolin Day) in the National Geographic Society and Magazine.

Aggressive huffing noises. Harsh, suffocating smoke billowing out of an easily missed burrow. A pile of burning wood nearby with a huge wok placed above. Scattering of tiny feet rushing out for fresh air only to be dragged and stuffed into sacks.

The masked man picked up the nearest machete and began bludgeoning the sacks of docile pangolins unconscious. Then, into the wok, boiling it alive to remove its scales.

The speaker paused the disturbing footage, turned to face countless of horrified looks, and continued her discussion at the ‘Scaling up Pangolin Conservation Workshop’—organised and sponsored by departments of IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group and Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

As far as conservation issues and animal welfare concern goes, this may just be the most devastating and worst one yet. All that cruel slaughter, terrifying ordeal and immense suffering, for harmless pangolins to be capitalised as delicacies and traditional medicine into black markets of Vietnam and China.

Stripped pangolin scales that poachers brutally butchered and peeled off to sell to middlemen further up the trade chain.

Even with the numbers of wild pangolins plummeting, they remain coveted. Pangolin trades begin in remote, rural communities in some of the world’s poorest countries. That makes detection and enforcement of these repugnantly illegal activities widely difficult.

For many Chinese cultures, pangolin scales are inaccurately believed to have vast ranges of healing properties: curing impotence and infertility, stimulating lactation in nursing mothers, curing skin disorders and treating wound infections. The list and perceptions of its medicinal use goes on. Global conservation organisation WildAid investigated and found that 70% of Chinese citizens believe pangolin derivatives have medicinal value, despite little support of scientific evidence or lack thereof. Instead, usage of pangolin scales is linked with adverse side effects of bloating, loss of appetite, abnormal liver function and jaundice.

On August 2019, China’s government announced that traditional medicines containing pangolin scales will not be covered by the state insurance funds anymore, amongst other wildlife-derived products. Politically and suggestively, the Chinese government no longer supports the use of pangolins. Now, it is more expensive to use pangolin scales as people must pay for these products themselves. An approach nevertheless, albeit not effective nor a total ban on domestic pangolin trading in China, which is what several advocates have been trying for.

On the other hand, views regarding the use of pangolins in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is evolving for the better. In Hong Kong—a city where ancient and modern coexists, and where TCM remains deeply rooted in their culture—new research showed how far public opinion has shifted in relation to usage of acceptable medical ingredients. Conducted by WildAid and the University of Hong Kong, 67% of 1,000 respondents considered the use of pangolins and endangered wildlife to be overwhelmingly unacceptable.

Additionally, 96% of interviewees agreed that “endangered animal species should be protected” while 85% feel that “Chinese medicine should phase out the use of endangered wildlife species while promoting sustainable and herbal alternatives”. A large proportion (85%) even said that Hong Kong laws banning usage of endangered wildlife in TCM needs stricter enforcements.

Ultimately, with hopes from increased awareness, progressive views, advanced research and state-of-the-art technology, sustainable herbal medicinal alternatives may very well be crucial to reducing and ending the endangered pangolins’ grave predicament.

Word count: 530