Not all of the species affected by the illegal wildlife trade are as well-known as rhinos and elephants. Two of the most trafficked species in the world are the elegant saiga antelope and the charming pangolin.
The translucent amber horns of the saiga antelope are coveted for their perceived medicinal benefits. Although saiga were once numerous on the semi-arid steppes of Central Asia, poaching led to a 95 percent decline of the population in fifteen years. “There are huge benefits for illegal traders, and poaching is difficult to stop because it’s very big money,” says Elena Bykova of Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA). Elena and the SCA team are working across country borders to protect saiga through anti-poaching teams, community work, and demand reduction.
The population had begun to rebound in recent years but faced a devastating disease outbreak in 2015, making anti-poaching work to protect the remaining saiga more crucial than ever.
The small, scaly pangolin is the most trafficked animal in the world. The scales of this little-known species are coveted for traditional medicine, and its meat is considered a delicacy. Thai van Nguyen founded Save Vietnam’s Wildlife to save his country’s pangolins and other wildlife, and he has helped make pangolin a top conservation for Vietnam’s government.
This year, with the urging of van Nguyen, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health officially removed pangolin scales from the list of medicines covered by health insurance in the country. Pangolin scales are also no longer recommended to be used in any of Vietnam’s hospitals.
Photo courtesy of Naivinder Singh