Ivory Coast officials on Tuesday burnt three tonnes of scales of the pangolin, the most trafficked mammal on Earth.

The scales were seized in raids in 2017 and 2018, following which some 20 people were arrested.

Beijing announced a total ban on the sale and consumption of the pangolin after the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The scaly mammal -- listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) as threatened with extinction -- is a traditional delicacy across China and much of southeast Asia.

"It was an international trafficking network that was dismantled and 3.6 tonnes of scales were burnt," Minister of Forests Alain Richard Donwahi said after setting three lots on fire in the economic capital Abidjan.

He said the scales were worth "millions", adding: "We are fighting poaching and also trafficking in protected species."

"Pangolin scales are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine ... and in Vietnam.

"In Asia, the price can go up to $ 1,000 per kg," he said.

The international sale of pangolins was outlawed in 2016 under the CITES convention against species exploitation.

The illegal trafficking of wild species is estimated by the WWF to be worth around $15 billion annually, particularly among booming Asian markets.

Related Links
Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Biofluorescence suprisingly common among amphibians
Washington DC (UPI) Feb 27, 2020
Until now, scientists knew of only four biofluorescent amphibians, one salamander and three frog species. According to a new study, published this week in the journal Scientific Reports, biofluorescence appears to be fairly common among amphibians. For the study, Jennifer Lamb and Matthew Davis, biologists at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, exposed a handful of specimens from 32 different amphibian species to ultra-violet light. Researchers used a spectrometer to measure the wavelength ... read more