Dryad
Published December 19, 2023 | Version v1
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Genomic analyses reveal poaching hotspots and illegal trade in pangolins from Africa to Asia

Authors/Creators

  • 1. University of California Los Angeles
  • 2. Colorado State University
  • 3. University of Hong Kong
  • 4. George Mason University
  • 5. University of Stirling
  • 6. Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden*
  • 7. University of Lagos
  • 8. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
  • 9. Metabiota Cameroon Ltd*
  • 10. Université de Yaoundé I
  • 11. Tomsk Polytechnic University
  • 12. Mississippi State University
  • 13. Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Gabon*
  • 14. South African National Biodiversity Institute
  • 15. Université des sciences et techniques de Masuku
  • 16. CRESAR, Cameroon*
  • 17. Metabiota Cameroon Ltd, Cameroon*
  • 18. Universite De Dschang

Description

Reducing the illegal wildlife trade requires an understanding of its origins. Here we present a genomic approach for tracing confiscated scales from the world's most trafficked mammal, the white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), to their geographic origins. Analyzing scales seized in Hong Kong SAR, China from 2012–2018 revealed intense poaching along Cameroon's southern border. Poaching pressures shifted over time from West to Central Africa. Using data from seizures representing nearly one million African pangolins, we identified Nigeria as a significant hub for trafficking, where scales are amassed and shipped to Vietnam and Hong Kong SAR, China, with final transit to markets in Guangdong and Guangxi, China. This origin-to-destination approach offers new opportunities to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade and to guide anti-trafficking measures.

Notes

Funding provided by: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100021610
Award Number: S-INLEC-17-GR-1006

Funding provided by: National Geographic Society
Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/04bqh5m06
Award Number: NGS-418C-18

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/021nxhr62
Award Number: 2208955

Funding provided by: Research Grants Council, Hong Kong*
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: R7021-20

Funding provided by: EU-ACP ECOFAC VI Convention*
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: FED/2018/403-718

Funding provided by: Idea Wild
Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/03078b858
Award Number: EBONCAME0221

Files

PangHKsamples2.csv

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Additional details

Related works

Is derived from
10.5281/zenodo.8342710 (DOI)