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Gu T, Hu J, Yu L. Evolution and conservation genetics of pangolins. Integr Zool 2024; 19:426-441. [PMID: 38146613 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Pangolins (Pholidota, Manidae) are classified as an evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered mammal due to their unique morphology (nail-like scales and a myrmecophagous diet) and being the victim of heavy poaching and worldwide trafficking. As such, pangolins serve as a textbook example for studying the special phenotypic evolutionary adaptations and conservation genetics of an endangered species. Recent years have demonstrated significant advancements in the fields of molecular genetics and genomics, which have translated to a series of important research achievements and breakthroughs concerning the evolution and conservation genetics of pangolins. This review comprehensively presents the hitherto advances in phylogeny, adaptive evolution, conservation genetics, and conservation genomics that are related to pangolins, which will provide an ample understanding of their diversity, molecular adaptation mechanisms, and evolutionary potentials. In addition, we highlight the priority of investigating species/population diversity among pangolins and suggest several avenues of research that are highly relevant for future pangolin conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Jingyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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2
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Gossé KJ, Gonedelé‐Bi S, Dufour S, Danquah E, Gaubert P. Conservation genetics of the white-bellied pangolin in West Africa: A story of lineage admixture, declining demography, and wide sourcing by urban bushmeat markets. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11031. [PMID: 38435007 PMCID: PMC10905243 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
During the last 40 years, the volumes of African pangolins feeding the illegal wildlife trade have dramatically increased. We conducted a conservation genetics survey of the most traded African species, the white bellied pangolin (WBP; Phataginus tricuspis), across three West African countries including Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana. Our study combining mitochondrial DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping is the first to reveal a wide pattern of admixture between two of the six mitochondrial lineages as previously delimited within WBP. We found a signature of isolation by distance but a lack of population genetic structuring, supporting the idea that WBP may have underestimated dispersal abilities. Levels of genetic diversity were low in West African lineages (WAfr and Gha) compared to Central Africa, reinforcing the picture of genetic pauperization shared by West African WBP. We observed a 85%-98% decline in the effective population size of WBP occurring c. 3200 to 400 ya, with current numbers (520-590) at the lower end of the conservative thresholds for minimum viable population size. The microsatellite markers were powerful enough to differentiate between individuals and identify replicated samples, confirming the utility of this approach in tracing the pangolin trade. Genetic diversity estimates confirmed that Yopougon, the main bushmeat market from Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), was fed by a large trade network as confirmed by vendors reporting 10 different sources situated 62-459 km away from the market. We conclude that WBP distributed in the Upper Guinean Block should be considered a single management unit of high conservation concern, as impacted by genetic diversity erosion, drastic decline in effective population size, and wide range sourcing for feeding urban bushmeat markets. Given the genetic admixture pattern detected within WBP from West Africa, we advocate for a multi-locus strategy to trace the international trade of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koffi Jules Gossé
- Laboratoire de Biotechnologie, Agriculture et Valorisation des Ressources Biologiques, UFR BiosciencesUniversité Félix Houphouët‐BoignyAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement (CRBE), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, Toulouse INPUniversité Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier (UT3)ToulouseFrance
| | - Sery Gonedelé‐Bi
- Laboratoire de Biotechnologie, Agriculture et Valorisation des Ressources Biologiques, UFR BiosciencesUniversité Félix Houphouët‐BoignyAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
| | | | - Emmanuel Danquah
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural ResourcesKwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyKumasiGhana
| | - Philippe Gaubert
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement (CRBE), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, Toulouse INPUniversité Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier (UT3)ToulouseFrance
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR)Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de LeixõesPortoPortugal
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3
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Tinsman JC, Gruppi C, Bossu CM, Prigge TL, Harrigan RJ, Zaunbrecher V, Koepfli KP, LeBreton M, Njabo K, Wenda C, Xing S, Abernethy K, Ades G, Akeredolu E, Andrew IB, Barrett TA, Bernáthová I, Černá Bolfíková B, Diffo JL, Difouo Fopa G, Ebong LE, Godwill I, Koumba Pambo AF, Labuschagne K, Nwobegahay Mbekem J, Momboua BR, Mousset Moumbolou CL, Ntie S, Rose-Jeffreys E, Simo FT, Sundar K, Swiacká M, Takuo JM, Talla VNK, Tamoufe U, Dingle C, Ruegg K, Bonebrake TC, Smith TB. Genomic analyses reveal poaching hotspots and illegal trade in pangolins from Africa to Asia. Science 2023; 382:1282-1286. [PMID: 38096373 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) is the world's most trafficked mammal and is at risk of extinction. Reducing the illegal wildlife trade requires an understanding of its origins. Using a genomic approach for tracing confiscations and analyzing 111 samples collected from known geographic localities in Africa and 643 seized scales from Asia between 2012 and 2018, we found that poaching pressures shifted over time from West to Central Africa. Recently, Cameroon's southern border has emerged as a site of intense poaching. Using data from seizures representing nearly 1 million African pangolins, we identified Nigeria as one important hub for trafficking, where scales are amassed and transshipped to markets in Asia. This origin-to-destination approach offers new opportunities to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade and to guide anti-trafficking measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen C Tinsman
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashland, OR, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
| | - Cristian Gruppi
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christen M Bossu
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Tracey-Leigh Prigge
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ryan J Harrigan
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Virginia Zaunbrecher
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA, USA
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Matthew LeBreton
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Mosaic, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Kevin Njabo
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cheng Wenda
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Ecology, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuang Xing
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Ecology, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Katharine Abernethy
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Libreville, Gabon
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Gary Ades
- Fauna Conservation Department, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Imuzei B Andrew
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Taneisha A Barrett
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Iva Bernáthová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ghislain Difouo Fopa
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- Department of Biology and Animal Physiology, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Lionel Esong Ebong
- Department of Ecology and Nature Management, School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Ichu Godwill
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | | | - Kim Labuschagne
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Brice R Momboua
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Carla L Mousset Moumbolou
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
- Pangolin Conservation Network, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Stephan Ntie
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | | | - Franklin T Simo
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- Department of Biology and Animal Physiology, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Keerthana Sundar
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Markéta Swiacká
- Department of Spatial Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jean Michel Takuo
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Metabiota Cameroon Ltd, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Valery N K Talla
- Département de Biologie des Organismes, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Applied Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
| | | | - Caroline Dingle
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kristen Ruegg
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Timothy C Bonebrake
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, London, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Congo Basin Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Liang D, Giam X, Hu S, Ma L, Wilcove DS. Assessing the illegal hunting of native wildlife in China. Nature 2023; 623:100-105. [PMID: 37880359 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Illegal harvesting and trading of wildlife have become major threats to global biodiversity and public health1-3. Although China is widely recognized as an important destination for wildlife illegally obtained abroad4, little attention has been given to illegal hunting within its borders. Here we extracted 9,256 convictions for illegal hunting from a nationwide database of trial verdicts in China spanning January 2014 to March 2020. These convictions involved illegal hunting of 21% (n = 673) of China's amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species, including 25% of imperilled species in these groups. Sample-based extrapolation indicates that many more species were taken illegally during this period. Larger body mass and range size (for all groups), and proximity to urban markets (for amphibians and birds) increase the probability of a species appearing in the convictions database. Convictions pertained overwhelmingly to illegal hunting for commercial purposes and involved all major habitats across China. A small number of convictions represented most of the animals taken, indicating the existence of large commercial poaching operations. Prefectures closer to urban markets show higher densities of convictions and more individual animals taken. Our results suggest that illegal hunting is a major, overlooked threat to biodiversity throughout China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liang
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Xingli Giam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Sifan Hu
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - David S Wilcove
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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5
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Wang Y, Turvey ST, Leader-Williams N. The scale of the problem: understanding the demand for medicinal pangolin products in China. NATURE CONSERVATION 2023. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.52.95916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife conservationists are increasingly concerned about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) due to the demands it places on many threatened species. In particular, pangolin populations in both Asia and Africa have experienced drastic declines driven by illegal trade. However, few studies have attempted to determine the level of this demand for traded species. In this study, we use social science approaches to investigate the pangolin scale trade within China, based upon interviews with informants from hospitals and pharmaceutical shops in two Chinese provinces (Henan and Hainan). Doctors from 41 hospitals and shop owners or shop assistants from 134 pharmaceutical shops were interviewed between October 2016 and April 2017. We show that pangolin scales are under heavy demand and products are available in 34% of the shops and 66% of the hospitals included in this study. Sale quantities were found to vary substantially amongst sellers and no significant factors were found to correlate with sale quantity. Moreover, quantities of products traded by permitted legal sellers are estimated to greatly exceed the supply capacity of legal sources. There is an urgent need to reduce demand from TCM on pangolin scales and revise the current legal pangolin scale trade system. We also highlight the importance of incorporating the TCM sector into combating illegal wildlife trade and species conservation beyond pangolins.
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Easter T, Trautmann J, Gore M, Carter N. Media portrayal of the illegal trade in wildlife: The case of turtles in the US and implications for conservation. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tara Easter
- School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Julia Trautmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Meredith Gore
- Department of Geographical Sciences University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA
| | - Neil Carter
- School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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7
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Svensson MS, Nijman V, Shepherd CR. Insights into the primate trade into the European Union and the United Kingdom. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023; 69:51. [PMID: 37128503 PMCID: PMC10125847 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01681-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Illegal and/or unsustainable trade is a major obstacle to effective primate conservation. The wildlife trade in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) is significant, but for many species, such as primates, the trade is poorly understood and sparsely reported. All EU countries are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); all primates are listed on Appendix I or II of CITES and are included on Annex A or B of Regulation (EC) No 338/97. We here combine data from several databases (CITES, UN Comtrade, TRAFFIC WiTIS) and seizure reports, to provide a narrative of the trade in primates into and within Europe. The legal import of live primates (2002-2021) amounted to 218,000-238,000 individuals (valued at US$ 869 million), with France, the UK, and Spain as the main importers and Mauritius, Vietnam, and China as the main exporters. Over 21,000 primate parts (trophies, skulls, bodies) were imported mainly from African countries, and UN Comtrade data suggests that ~ 600 tonnes of primate meat was imported mainly from Asia. The vast majority of live primates are either captive-born or captive-bred, and this proportion has increased over time. Reports of the illegal primate trade are far from complete, but the illegal trade of specific species or primate meat can have negative impacts of wild populations of already imperiled species. Stronger policies and more effective enforcement in consumer countries, such as the EU, would also aid in, and garner support for, better protecting primates in primate range states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena S. Svensson
- Monitor Conservation Research Society, Big Lake Ranch, Canada
- Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Vincent Nijman
- Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
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Wang Y, Turvey ST, Leader‐Williams N. Global biodiversity conservation requires traditional Chinese medicine trade to be sustainable and well regulated. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6847-6856. [PMID: 36074067 PMCID: PMC9826198 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is highlighted by conservation practitioners as an ongoing threat to many overharvested plant and animal species, including several charismatic threatened vertebrates. However, studies that provide evidence-based and practical recommendations on how to better regulate the TCM trade for sustainability and biodiversity conservation remain limited. China is the biggest promotor of and market for TCM and understanding the TCM trade in China is important for global biodiversity conservation. In particular, conservation researchers need to better understand how the TCM trade and its regulations interact with China's development needs and should collaborate with TCM communities to propose locally adapted suggestions to decision makers. However, progress in these areas has been restricted by language, cultural, and knowledge barriers. In this paper, we provide an overview of the current status of TCM-related regulations in China, identify weaknesses in regulation frameworks, and highlight issues that currently limit our understanding of the magnitude, dynamics, and impact of the trade. We propose changes in trade regulations, actions to enhance law enforcement, and future research directions to encourage a more sustainable TCM trade that benefits both global biodiversity conservation and TCM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifu Wang
- Department of GeographyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
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Zhang Z, Bonebrake TC, Xing S, Dingle C, Ho I, Andersson AA. Low pangolin consumption in Hong Kong pre- and post- the COVID-19 outbreak: Conservation and health concerns both contribute to people's attitudes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022; 35:e02107. [PMID: 35378839 PMCID: PMC8966124 DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins have recently received significant media attention globally as the trade for their scales and meat is driving many species closer to extinction. As a result of this, there have been increased legal regulations placed on pangolin trade in recent years. The suggestion that pangolins may have been involved in the transmission of COVID-19 further brought the issues of pangolin consumption to the fore in 2020. However, we have little understanding of the attitudes of the general public towards pangolin consumption pre- or post the outbreak of COVID-19. We conducted surveys in Hong Kong, a critical transit hub in the trafficking routes for pangolins, in 2015 (n = 1037) and 2020 (n = 1028) to determine general attitudes towards pangolin consumption in the city, and whether these attitudes changed since the onset of COVID-19. We found low reported rates of pangolin consumption (< 1% of respondents) in both surveys, and most of the respondents who professed to eating pangolins were aged above 50. Perceptions of how trends in pangolin consumption are changing were consistent between 2015 and 2020, with 55% of the public in 2015 and 57% in 2020 believing that consumption has declined over time. In 2020, respondents cited conservation (endangered status of pangolins) and health concerns (risk of disease transmission) as the two primary reasons (> 50%) for declining attitudes toward consumption. Overall, COVID-19 does not, specifically, appear to be associated with changed perceptions of pangolin consumption in Hong Kong: > 75% of respondents stated that there is no relationship between pangolins and COVID-19, or were unsure about any such connection. Only 1% mentioned an awareness of the illegality of pangolin consumption as a reason for not consuming them. As such, our results challenge simple narratives regarding the impact of COVID-19 on pangolin consumption. We suggest that future demand reduction efforts could emphasize the conservation impact and health risks of consuming pangolins, and specifically focus on the older generations. As pangolins continue to be trafficked and threatened with extinction, further research into the perceptions and attitudes of consumers of these products is needed to inform targeted and effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Timothy C Bonebrake
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shuang Xing
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caroline Dingle
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Iris Ho
- Humane Society International, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Astrid A Andersson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Paudel K, Hinsley A, Veríssimo D, Milner-Gulland E. Evaluating the reliability of media reports for gathering information about illegal wildlife trade seizures. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13156. [PMID: 35402091 PMCID: PMC8992658 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is threatening many species across the world. It is important to better understand the scale and characteristics of IWT to inform conservation priorities and actions. However, IWT usually takes place covertly, meaning that the data on species, trade routes and volumes is limited. This means that conservationists often have to rely on publicly available law enforcement reports of seizures as potential indicators of the magnitude and characteristics of IWT. Still, even these data may be difficult to access, leading conservationists to use media reports of seizures instead. This is the case in countries like Nepal, which have limited capacity in data keeping and reporting, and no centralized data management system. Yet reliance on media reports risks introducing further biases, which are rarely acknowledged or discussed. Here we characterize IWT in Nepal by comparing data from three sources of information on IWT between January 2005 and July 2017: seizure reports from three Nepali national daily newspapers, official seizure records for Kathmandu district, and data on additional enforcement efforts against IWT in Nepal. We found a strong positive correlation between the number of official and media-reported seizures over time, but media under-reported seizure numbers, with 78% of seizures going unreported. Seizures of charismatic, protected species were reported more often and seizure reports involving tigers were most likely to be reported (57%). Media reports appeared to be a good indicator of trends and the species being seized but not overall seizure number, with the media largely underestimating total seizure numbers. Therefore, media reports cannot be solely relied upon when it comes to informing conservation decision-making. We recommend that conservationists triangulate different data sources when using seizure data reported in the media to more rigorously characterise IWT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Hinsley
- University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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11
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Nga NTT, Latinne A, Thuy HB, Long NV, Ngoc PTB, Anh NTL, Thai NV, Phuong TQ, Thai HV, Hai LK, Long PT, Phuong NT, Hung VV, Quang LTV, Lan NT, Hoa NT, Johnson CK, Mazet JAK, Roberton SI, Walzer C, Olson SH, Fine AE. Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Related Coronaviruses Circulating in Sunda pangolins ( Manis javanica) Confiscated From the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Viet Nam. Front Public Health 2022; 10:826116. [PMID: 35356028 PMCID: PMC8959545 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.826116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the discovery of several closely related viruses in bats, the direct evolutionary progenitor of SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been identified. In this study, we investigated potential animal sources of SARS-related coronaviruses using archived specimens from Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) and Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, and from common palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) raised on wildlife farms in Viet Nam. A total of 696 pangolin and civet specimens were screened for the presence of viral RNA from five zoonotic viral families and from Sarbecoviruses using primers specifically designed for pangolin coronaviruses. We also performed a curated data collection of media reports of wildlife confiscation events involving pangolins in Viet Nam between January 2016 and December 2020, to illustrate the global pangolin supply chain in the context of Viet Nam where the trade confiscated pangolins were sampled for this study. All specimens from pangolins and civets sampled along the wildlife supply chains between February 2017 and July 2018, in Viet Nam and tested with conventional PCR assays designed to detect flavivirus, paramyxovirus, filovirus, coronavirus, and orthomyxovirus RNA were negative. Civet samples were also negative for Sarbecoviruses, but 12 specimens from seven live pangolins confiscated in Hung Yen province, northern Viet Nam, in 2018 were positive for Sarbecoviruses. Our phylogenetic trees based on two fragments of the RdRp gene revealed that the Sarbecoviruses identified in these pangolins were closely related to pangolin coronaviruses detected in pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces, China. Our curated data collection of media reports of wildlife confiscation events involving pangolins in Viet Nam between January 2016 and December 2020, reflected what is known about pangolin trafficking globally. Pangolins confiscated in Viet Nam were largely in transit, moving toward downstream consumers in China. Confiscations included pangolin scales sourced originally from Africa (and African species of pangolins), or pangolin carcasses and live pangolins native to Southeast Asia (predominately the Sunda pangolin) sourced from neighboring range countries and moving through Viet Nam toward provinces bordering China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice Latinne
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Hoang Bich Thuy
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Van Long
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Pham Thi Bich Ngoc
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Thi Lan Anh
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | | | | | | | | | - Pham Thanh Long
- Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development of Viet Nam, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | | | - Vo Van Hung
- Regional Animal Health Office No. 6, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | | | - Nguyen Thi Lan
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Viet Nam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Thi Hoa
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Viet Nam National University of Agriculture, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Christine K Johnson
- School of Veterinary Medicine, One Health Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jonna A K Mazet
- School of Veterinary Medicine, One Health Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Scott I Roberton
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York City, NY, United States.,Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah H Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Amanda E Fine
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Country Program, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York City, NY, United States
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12
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Omifolaji JK, Hughes AC, Ibrahim AS, Zhou J, Zhang S, Ikyaagba ET, Luan X. Dissecting the illegal pangolin trade in China: An insight from seizures data reports. NATURE CONSERVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.45.57962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife trafficking poses a major threat to global biodiversity. Species such as pangolins are particularly vulnerable and trade continues almost unabated despite numerous interventions aimed at eradicating illegal wildlife trade. Despite restrictions on the pangolin trade, thousands of pangolins continue to be intercepted annually. We focused on China because of the recent delisting of pangolins from the Chinese pharmacopeia, and their removal from healthcare insurance, despite deeply ingrained traditions of having pangolins for ethno-medicinal use. We collated pangolin interception data from public online media seizure reports to characterize the pangolin trade within China, and found that a total of 326 independent seizures equivalent to 143,130 pangolins (31,676 individuals and 222,908 kg of scale) were reported in 26 provinces. Pangolin domestic seizures are greatest in the southern cities of Dehong, Fangchenggang, and Guangzhou. Also, we found 17 countries within the global pangolins range which were the major source of the pangolin shipments to China. The number of arrests and convictions was much lower than the number of pangolin incidents reported. Our results show a significant increase in the volume of scales and number of live pangolin seizures after amended endangered species law came into effect in 2018, and recorded the highest number of individual pangolin interceptions. China has shown increasing wildlife seizures over time, owing partly to emergent trends in the international wildlife trade as well as increasing global demand for ethnomedicine. The future eradication of illegal wildlife trade in China is dependent not only on stringent border control and offender prosecution but also the; removal of other threatened species from the pharmacopeia and healthcare insurance which includes wildlife derivatives. Furthermore, our work highlights importance of current policy intervention to combat the pangolin trade within China, and the need for further interventions both within China and in export countries.
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13
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Platto S, Serres A, Jingyi A. Chinese College Students’ Attitudes towards Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020156. [PMID: 35049779 PMCID: PMC8772567 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary College students, specifically from veterinary, animal, agricultural, and life sciences majors represent the future professionals who will closely work with animal industry stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to understand their attitudes towards animals and their knowledge about animal welfare. A survey on Chinese college students was conducted across different majors and Chinese geographical regions to understand their attitude towards the animal Sentient and the Five Freedoms models for pets, laboratory, farm, and wild animals. Most of the respondents exhibited a good attitude towards both the animal Sentient and the Five Freedoms models, with best scoring for pet animals followed by wild animals. Respondents showed less concerns towards farm and laboratory animals. A previous animal welfare education, the ownership of animals, and the participation in laboratory work involving animals positively influenced the attitude of the respondents towards animal welfare. These experiences might have helped students to develop concerns towards the animals’ treatment. When compared to previous studies, our results suggest that Chinese college students improved their attitudes towards animals in recent years. Abstract Understanding the attitude of stakeholders towards animals is critical for the development and improvement of animal welfare in a country. College students from veterinary, animal, and life sciences majors represent future key stakeholders that will interact with professionals from animal industries. Therefore, it is critical to understand these college students’ attitudes towards animals and their knowledge about animal welfare. The present survey aimed to investigate Chinese college students’ concerns towards different animal classes (i.e., pets, farm, laboratory, and wild animals) through the animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models. Chinese college students from different majors (i.e., related to animal sciences or not) scored very well in their attitude towards both the animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models, with differences depending on the animal class considered. Pets (dogs and cats) had better consideration for both animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models, followed by wild animals, while farm and laboratory animals were less considered. Veterinary science major students showed the strongest differences in attitudes depending on the animal classes considered compared to other majors. Furthermore, respondents showed better attitude scoring if they currently owned or had owned animals, had participated in animal welfare courses, or in laboratory work that involved animals. When compared to previous studies, our results suggest a general improvement of Chinese college students’ attitudes towards animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Platto
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, No. 8, Sanjiaohu Rd., Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Wuhan 430056, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Agathe Serres
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 28 Luhuitou Road, Jiyang District, Sanya 572000, China;
| | - Ai Jingyi
- Department of Translations, College of Foreign Language, Jianghan University, No. 8, Sanjiaohu Rd., Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Wuhan 430056, China;
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14
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Liu C, Hu J, Wu Y, Irwin DM, Chen W, Zhang Z, Yu L. Comparative study of gut microbiota from captive and confiscated-rescued wild pangolins. J Genet Genomics 2021; 48:825-835. [PMID: 34474998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Pangolins are among the most critically endangered animals due to widespread poaching and worldwide trafficking. Captive breeding is considered to be one way to protect them and increase the sizes of their populations. However, comparative studies of captive and wild pangolins in the context of gut microbiota are rare. Here, the gut microbiome of captive and confiscated-rescued wild pangolins is compared, and the effects of different periods of captivity and captivity with and without antibiotic treatment are considered. We show that different diets and periods of captivity, as well as the application of antibiotic therapy, can alter gut community composition and abundance in pangolins. Compared to wild pangolins, captive pangolins have an increased capacity for chitin and cellulose/hemicellulose degradation, fatty acid metabolism, and short-chain fatty acid synthesis, but a reduced ability to metabolize exogenous substances. In addition to increasing the ability of the gut microbiota to metabolize nutrients in captivity, captive breeding imposes some risks for survival by resulting in a greater abundance of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in captive pangolins than in wild pangolins. Our study is important for the development of guidelines for pangolin conservation, including health assessment, disease prevention, and rehabilitation of wild pangolin populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunbing Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Jingyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Yajiang Wu
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou 510070, China.
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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15
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Doody JS, Reid JA, Bilali K, Diaz J, Mattheus N. In the post-COVID-19 era, is the illegal wildlife trade the most serious form of trafficking? CRIME SCIENCE 2021; 10:19. [PMID: 34540528 PMCID: PMC8436868 DOI: 10.1186/s40163-021-00154-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite the immense impact of wildlife trafficking, comparisons of the profits, costs, and seriousness of crime consistently rank wildlife trafficking lower relative to human trafficking, drug trafficking and weapons trafficking. Using the published literature and current events, we make the case, when properly viewed within the context of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases transmitted from wildlife, that wildlife trafficking is the most costly and perhaps the most serious form of trafficking. Our synthesis should raise awareness of the seriousness of wildlife trafficking for humans, thereby inducing strategic policy decisions that boost criminal justice initiatives and resources to combat wildlife trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Sean Doody
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Joan A. Reid
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Klejdis Bilali
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Jennifer Diaz
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Nichole Mattheus
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
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16
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Chan OSK, Bradley KCF, Grioni A, Lau SKP, Li WT, Magouras I, Naing T, Padula A, To EMW, Tun HM, Tutt C, Woo PCY, Bloch R, Mauroo NF. Veterinary Experiences can Inform One Health Strategies for Animal Coronaviruses. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:301-314. [PMID: 34542794 PMCID: PMC8450722 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01545-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia S K Chan
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Patrick Manson Building, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
| | - Katriona C F Bradley
- Tai Wai Small Animal and Exotic Hospital, G/F, Lap Wo Building, 69-75 Chik Shun St, Tai Wai, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Alessandro Grioni
- Fauna Conservation Department, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, NT, Hong Kong
| | - Susanna K P Lau
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Room 26, 19/F, Block T, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wen-Ta Li
- Department of Pathology, Pangolin International Biomedical Consultant Ltd., Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Ioannis Magouras
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Tint Naing
- Soares Avenue Paws and Claws Clinic, G/F No 29 - 33 Soares Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Andrew Padula
- Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Esther M W To
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Room 509, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Hein Min Tun
- LKS Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Patrick Manson Building, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Cedric Tutt
- Cape Animal Dentistry Service, 78 Rosmead Avenue, Kenilworth, Cape Town, 7708, South Africa
| | - Patrick C Y Woo
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Room 26, 19/F, Block T, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Rebecca Bloch
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nathalie F Mauroo
- Hong Kong Wildlife Health Foundation, GPO Box 12585, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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17
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ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS IN AFRICAN WHITE-BELLIED PANGOLINS ( PHATAGINUS TRICUSPIS) WITHOUT CARDIAC DISEASE. J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 50:604-610. [PMID: 33517629 DOI: 10.1638/2018-0224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Relatively little is known about pangolin care and physiology, and it has become increasingly important to have a better understanding of normal health parameters for evaluation of free-ranging, rehabilitating, and managed populations. Echocardiograms were performed on six African white-bellied pangolins (Phataginus tricuspis) under professional care at a single institution. Because of the propensity of pangolins to roll up with only thick keratinized scales exposed, the pangolins were anesthetized with either isoflurane or sevoflurane. All echocardiograms were performed and evaluated by a board-certified cardiologist. None of the pangolins had any evidence of prior cardiac disease. All standard measurements were obtained. Four pangolins (66.7%) had trace to mild mitral regurgitation, six (100%) had trace to mild tricuspid regurgitation, and two (33.3%) had trace to mild pulmonic regurgitation. All examinations were determined to be normal, with no evidence of valvular structural abnormalities, cardiac dysfunction, chamber enlargement, or cardiac hypertrophy. This report broadens understanding of normal echocardiogram parameters in pangolin species and contributes techniques and baseline data for veterinarians caring for these vulnerable populations.
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18
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Priyambada P, Jabin G, Singh A, Ghosh A, Singh SK, Chatterjee M, Venkatraman C, Chandra K, Sharma LK, Thakur M. Digging out the keys in the heap of seized pangolin scales: up scaling pangolin conservation using wildlife forensics. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 323:110780. [PMID: 33901802 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Pangolins, despite banned through legislative measures, are threatened by heavy illegal poaching for the demand of meat and scales in the making of Traditional East Asian Medicines (TEAM), resulting in severe decline of the population sizes across the distribution range. Species assignment from the confiscated scales is pre-requisite to enforce the appropriate national and international law and legislations in the successful prosecution of the cases in the court of law. In the present study, we characterised the morphological features in voucher specimens of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and used the identified keys to establish the species identity from the confiscated scales. We investigated intra and inter genetic variations by sequencing 624 scales of pangolin for cytb gene and obtained unique haplotypes to Indian and Chinese pangolins by comparing sequences with all eight pangolin species. Scales from the voucher specimens, which varied in the size, shape and weight, were measured for morphological features to establish species signature of Indian and Chinese pangolins. The cumulative success of species assignment using morphological features from the confiscated scales was 98.33% and 100% from the large and caudal scales, respectively. The present study has generated reference signature of Indian and Chinese pangolins from the scales and facilitates the law enforcements for taking spot decision by ascertaining species identity from the seized scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajnashree Priyambada
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India; Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India.
| | - Gul Jabin
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India; Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India.
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India; National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar 382007, Gujarat, India.
| | - Avijit Ghosh
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India; Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India.
| | - Sujeet Kumar Singh
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India.
| | - Moitrye Chatterjee
- National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar 382007, Gujarat, India.
| | | | - Kailash Chandra
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India.
| | - Lalit Kumar Sharma
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India.
| | - Mukesh Thakur
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India.
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19
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20
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Turvey ST, Chen S, Tapley B, Liang Z, Wei G, Yang J, Wang J, Wu M, Redbond J, Brown T, Cunningham AA. From dirty to delicacy? Changing exploitation in China threatens the world's largest amphibians. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Shu Chen
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
- Conservation and Policy Zoological Society of London London UK
| | | | | | - Gang Wei
- Guiyang University Guiyang Guizhou China
| | - Jian Yang
- Nanning Normal University Nanning Guangxi China
| | - Jie Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Minyao Wu
- Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Jay Redbond
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
- Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Gloucester UK
| | - Thomas Brown
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
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21
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Wang Y, Leader-Williams N, Turvey ST. Exploitation Histories of Pangolins and Endemic Pheasants on Hainan Island, China: Baselines and Shifting Social Norms. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.608057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexploitation is a critical threat to the survival of many species. The global demand for wildlife products has attracted considerable research attention, but regional species exploitation histories are more rarely investigated. We interviewed 169 villagers living around seven terrestrial nature reserves on Hainan Island, China, with the aim of reconstructing historical patterns of hunting and consumption of local wildlife, including the globally threatened Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and Hainan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron katsumatae), from the mid-20th century onwards. We aimed to better understand the relationship between these past activities and current consumption patterns. Our findings suggest that eating pangolin meat was not a traditional behaviour in Hainan, with past consumption prohibited by local myths about pangolins. In contrast, local consumption of peacock-pheasant meat was a traditional activity. However, later attitudes around hunting pangolins and peacock-pheasants in Hainan were influenced by pro-hunting policies and a state-run wildlife trade from the 1960s to the 1980s. These new social norms still shape the daily lifestyles and perceptions of local people towards wildlife consumption in Hainan today. Due to these specific historical patterns of wildlife consumption, local-adapted interventions such as promoting substitute meat choices and alternative livelihoods might be effective at tackling local habits of consuming wild meat. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the local historical contexts of wildlife use for designing appropriate conservation strategies.
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22
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Buckingham E, Curry J, Emogor C, Tomsett L, Cooper N. Using natural history collections to investigate changes in pangolin (Pholidota: Manidae) geographic ranges through time. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10843. [PMID: 33614289 PMCID: PMC7882139 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins, often considered the world’s most trafficked wild mammals, have continued to experience rapid declines across Asia and Africa. All eight species are classed as either Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Alongside habitat loss, they are threatened mainly by poaching and/or legal hunting to meet the growing consumer demand for their meat and keratinous scales. Species threat assessments heavily rely on changes in species distributions which are usually expensive and difficult to monitor, especially for rare and cryptic species like pangolins. Furthermore, recent assessments of the threats to pangolins focus on characterising their trade using seizure data which provide limited insights into the true extent of global pangolin declines. As the consequences of habitat modifications and poaching/hunting on species continues to become apparent, it is crucial that we frequently update our understanding of how species distributions change through time to allow effective identification of geographic regions that are in need of urgent conservation actions. Here we show how georeferencing pangolin specimens from natural history collections can reveal how their distributions are changing over time, by comparing overlap between specimen localities and current area of habitat maps derived from IUCN range maps. We found significant correlations in percentage area overlap between species, continent, IUCN Red List status and collection year, but not ecology (terrestrial or arboreal/semi-arboreal). Human population density (widely considered to be an indication of trafficking pressure) and changes in primary forest cover, were weakly correlated with percentage overlap. Our results do not suggest a single mechanism for differences among historical distributions and present-day ranges, but rather show that multiple explanatory factors must be considered when researching pangolin population declines as variations among species influence range fluctuations. We also demonstrate how natural history collections can provide temporal information on distributions and discuss the limitations of collecting and using historical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Buckingham
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park), Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Jake Curry
- Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park), Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Emogor
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Nigeria Program, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Louise Tomsett
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, London, United Kingdom
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23
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Hu J, Roos C, Lv X, Kuang W, Yu L. Molecular Genetics Supports a Potential Fifth Asian Pangolin Species (Mammalia, Pholidota, Manis). Zoolog Sci 2021; 37:538-543. [PMID: 33269869 DOI: 10.2108/zs200084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recently, two mitochondrial haplotypes, H4 and H8, of Manis sp. were found in two seizures in Hong Kong that do not correspond to Manis javanica, Manis pentadactyla or Manis crassicaudata of Asian pangolin species or any African pangolin species. It was proposed that both haplotypes derived from Manis culionensis, an unknown lineage of M. javanica, or a thus far unidentified Asian pangolin species (Manis sp.). To further investigate these three hypotheses, we used two mitochondrial genes of all eight known extant pangolin species and conducted phylogenetic tree reconstructions, divergence time estimation, and species delimitation analyses. All analyses consistently confirmed that these two haplotypes of Manis sp. constitute a distinct lineage, potentially representing a fifth Asian pangolin species, which originated around the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene (6.95 [4.64-9.85] million years ago). Our study provides genetic support for a potential fifth Asian pangolin species and helps to better understand species diversity of Asian pangolins, which is urgently needed for effective conservation work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xue Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Weimin Kuang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China,
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Zhang F, Yu Y, Wu S, Mahmood A, Yu J, Min Y. Reducing Pangolin Demand by Understanding Motivations for Human Consumption in Guangdong, China. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.574161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins are some of the most trafficked mammals in the world. China is a major destination country for illegal wildlife trade and Guangdong Province is one of the areas of high domestic wildlife consumption. A willingness to consume lies at the root of the illegal wildlife trade. To understand the ideological roots of pangolin consumption, and to propose solutions, we conducted a consumption survey in 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong and have collected 1,957 valid questionnaires. In these questionnaires, 108 respondents (5.52%) who had consumed pangolin-related products, scales had been consumed by 61 respondents (3.12%), 58 respondents (2.96%) had consumed meat. We found that scale consumption was primarily motivated by disease treatment (80.43%). The main reason for meat consumption was accidental (44.83%), but among those who intentionally ate pangolin were motivated by curiosity (22.41%) or “showing off” (8.62%). Simultaneously, the respondents' future consumption willingness for medicinal purposes was more difficult to change than its use for other purposes. What's more, the public's insufficient understanding of the status of pangolins in China and weak legal awareness were potential reasons for pangolin consumption. In addition to classifying pangolins as Category I state-protected animals in China and strengthening penalties and enforcement, we recommend creating public awareness of the risk of zoonotic diseases, advocating for the use of alternative medicines in disease treatment and removing scales from ingredients in patented medicines, which will all act to reduce the demand for pangolins. We expect these actions to change public consumption behaviors and their collective understanding of pangolins, which improve pangolin protection efforts around the globe.
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The emergence of Nigeria as a staging ground in the illegal pangolin exportation to South East Asia. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL: REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Tarmizi R, Keng Chee Y, Sipangkui S, Zainuddin ZZ, Fitri WN. The Comparison of Semen Collection in Electroejaculation, Rectal Massage and Combination of Both Methods in the Critically Endangered Malayan Pangolin, Manis javanica. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10111948. [PMID: 33113883 PMCID: PMC7690726 DOI: 10.3390/ani10111948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes the semen characteristics from different collection methods between captive and confiscated Malayan pangolins, Manis javanica. Semen was collected from 15 pangolins; two captive and 13 confiscated individuals at the mean weight of 9.36 ± 1.94 kg. The three semen collection methods employed were electroejaculation, rectal massage and a combination of both techniques. The semen characteristics (mean ± standard deviation) of the Malayan pangolin are volume (73.75 ± 144.57 µL), pH (7.63 ± 0.53), spermatozoa concentration (997.19 ± 728.98 × 106 /mL), total motility (59.60% ± 30.00%), progressive motility (48.95% ± 30.93%), mass motility (3.50 ± 1.50) and live spermatozoa (80.25% ± 13.45%). There was no significant difference in semen characteristics between the three collection methods. The percentages of live spermatozoa were significantly different, suggesting better samples from captive compared to confiscated animals. However, there was no significant difference in spermatozoa kinetics between the captive and confiscated samples, suggesting the potential of utilizing confiscated individuals for gamete recovery to conserve the genetic pool of pangolins. All three methods of semen collection were successfully performed in pangolins and should be considered; however, electroejaculation remains the most consistent method of obtaining semen from the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Tarmizi
- Borneo Rhino Alliance, Sabah, Malaysia, c/o Faculty of Sciences and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia; (R.T.); (Y.K.C.); (Z.Z.Z.)
| | - Yap Keng Chee
- Borneo Rhino Alliance, Sabah, Malaysia, c/o Faculty of Sciences and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia; (R.T.); (Y.K.C.); (Z.Z.Z.)
| | - Symphorosa Sipangkui
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Tingkat 4, Blok B, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Sabah, Malaysia;
| | - Zainal Zahari Zainuddin
- Borneo Rhino Alliance, Sabah, Malaysia, c/o Faculty of Sciences and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia; (R.T.); (Y.K.C.); (Z.Z.Z.)
| | - Wan-Nor Fitri
- Theriogenology and Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Seri Kembangan 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +06-8609-3908
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Wang Y, Turvey ST, Leader‐Williams N. Knowledge and attitudes about the use of pangolin scale products in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) within China. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yifu Wang
- Department of Geography University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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Zhang H, Ades G, Miller MP, Yang F, Lai KW, Fischer GA. Genetic identification of African pangolins and their origin in illegal trade. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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Sharma S, Sharma HP, Katuwal HB, Belant JL. Knowledge of the Critically Endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) by local people in Sindhupalchok, Nepal. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Abstract
Abstract
Viruses similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been discovered in bats of the genus Rhinolophus and in the Sunda pangolin, Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822, suggesting that these animals have played a key role in the emergence of the Covid-19 outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China. In this paper, we review the available data for sarbecoviruses (viruses related to SARS-CoV [2002–2003 outbreak] and SARS-CoV-2) to propose all possible hypotheses on the origin of Covid-19, i. e., involving direct transmission from horseshoe bats to humans, indirect transmission via the pangolin or another animal, with interspecies contamination between either wild animals or animals kept in cage. Present evidence indicates that Rhinolophus bats are the natural reservoir of all sarbecoviruses, and that two divergent SARS-CoV-2-like viruses have circulated in southern China (at least in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces) between August 2017 and March 2019 in captive pangolins destined for sale in wildlife markets. We performed a genetic analysis of seven seized pangolins found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2-like virus using mitochondrial DNA sequences extracted from Sequence Reads Archive data. The results reveal that the same SARS-CoV-2-like virus can be found in animals with distinct haplotypes, which means that they were probably captured in different Southeast Asian regions. Our interpretation is that some pangolins were contaminated in captivity (by other pangolins or by another species to be determined), suggesting that illegal trade of living wild mammals is at the origin of the Covid-19 outbreak. To definitely validate this hypothesis, it is however necessary to discover a virus almost identical to SARS CoV-2 (at least 99% of identity) in animals sold in wet markets. Although pangolins are good candidates, other mammals, such as small carnivores, should not be overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Hassanin
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN , Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle , CP 51, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 , Paris Cedex 05 , France
| | - Philippe Grandcolas
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN , Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle , CP 51, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 , Paris Cedex 05 , France
| | - Géraldine Veron
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN , Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle , CP 51, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 , Paris Cedex 05 , France
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Aguillon S, Din Dipita A, Lecompte E, Missoup AD, Tindo M, Gaubert P. Development and characterization of 20 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the white-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis (Mammalia, Pholidota). Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:4827-4833. [PMID: 32419053 PMCID: PMC7230135 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05511-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pangolins, or scaly anteaters, have recently been flagshiped as one of the most illegally traded mammals, and as a corollary, as potential intermediate hosts at the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to improve the traceability of their trade, we developed 20 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), the species most frequently found on African bushmeat markets. We genotyped 24 white-bellied pangolins from the Douala market, Cameroon, originating from the Ebo forest c. 75 km north-east of Douala. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 12 (mean = 6.95), and mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.592 (0.208-0.875) and 0.671 (0.469-0.836), respectively. Genetic diversity was higher than that cross-estimated from microsatellite loci developed for other species of pangolins. Two loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and two loci showed linkage disequilibrium. Genetic variance (PCoA) was increased with the addition of 13 pangolins of unknown origin, possibly suggesting that the Douala market is fed from differentiated source populations of white-bellied pangolins. Each of the 37 individuals had a unique multilocus genotype. The unbiased probability of identity (uPI) and the probability of identity among siblings (PIsibs) were both very low (uPI = 8.443 e-21; PIsibs = 1.011 e-07). Only five microsatellite loci were needed to reach the conservative value of PIsibs < 0.01, overall indicating a powerful discriminating power of our combined loci. These 20 newly developed microsatellite loci might prove useful in tracing the local-to-global trade of the white-bellied pangolin, and will hopefully contribute to the DNA-assisted implementation of future conservation strategies at reasonable costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Aguillon
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB), CNRS/UPS/IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Bâtiment 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Alain Din Dipita
- Unité de Zoologie, Laboratoire de Biologie et Physiologie des Organismes Animaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Douala, BP 24157, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Emilie Lecompte
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB), CNRS/UPS/IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Bâtiment 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Alain Didier Missoup
- Unité de Zoologie, Laboratoire de Biologie et Physiologie des Organismes Animaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Douala, BP 24157, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Maurice Tindo
- Unité de Zoologie, Laboratoire de Biologie et Physiologie des Organismes Animaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Douala, BP 24157, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Philippe Gaubert
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB), CNRS/UPS/IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Bâtiment 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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Huang G, Sreekar R, Velho N, Corlett RT, Quan R, Tomlinson KW. Combining camera‐trap surveys and hunter interviews to determine the status of mammals in protected rainforests and rubber plantations of Menglun, Xishuangbanna, SW China. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Huang
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
- Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University Nathan QLD Australia
| | - R. Sreekar
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
- Institute of Entomology Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - N. Velho
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia UniversitySchermerhorn Extension New York NY USA
| | - R. T. Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
| | - R.‐C. Quan
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
| | - K. W. Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
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Hu JY, Hao ZQ, Frantz L, Wu SF, Chen W, Jiang YF, Wu H, Kuang WM, Li H, Zhang YP, Yu L. Genomic consequences of population decline in critically endangered pangolins and their demographic histories. Natl Sci Rev 2020; 7:798-814. [PMID: 34692098 PMCID: PMC8288997 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins are among the most critically endangered animals due to heavy poaching and worldwide trafficking. However, their demographic histories and the genomic consequences of their recent population declines remain unknown. We generated high-quality de novo reference genomes for critically endangered Malayan (Manis javanica, MJ) and Chinese (M. pentadactyla, MP) pangolins and re-sequencing population genomic data from 74 MJs and 23 MPs. We recovered the population identities of illegally traded pangolins and previously unrecognized genetic populations that should be protected as evolutionarily distinct conservation units. Demographic reconstruction suggested environmental changes have resulted in a population size fluctuation of pangolins. Additionally, recent population size declines due to human activities have resulted in an increase in inbreeding and genetic load. Deleterious mutations were enriched in genes related to cancer/diseases and cholesterol homeostasis, which may have increased their susceptibility to diseases and decreased their survival potential to adapt to environmental changes and high-cholesterol diets. This comprehensive study provides not only high-quality pangolin reference genomes, but also valuable information concerning the driving factors of long-term population size fluctuations and the genomic impact of recent population size declines due to human activities, which is essential for pangolin conservation management and global action planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China
| | - Zi-Qian Hao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Laurent Frantz
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Department of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Shi-Fang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Yun-Fang Jiang
- Lushui Management and Conservation Branch of Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve, Nujiang 673100, China
| | - Hong Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Wei-Min Kuang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Haipeng Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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Jacobs RL, McClure PJ, Baker BW, Espinoza EO. Myth debunked: Keratinous pangolin scales do not contain the analgesic tramadol. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L. Jacobs
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland Oregon
| | - Pamela J. McClure
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland Oregon
| | - Barry W. Baker
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland Oregon
| | - Edgard O. Espinoza
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory Ashland Oregon
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Ingram DJ, Cronin DT, Challender DW, Venditti DM, Gonder MK. Characterising trafficking and trade of pangolins in the Gulf of Guinea. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert Cheung
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Yifu Wang
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK
| | - Duan Biggs
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.,Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia.,Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa
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D’Cruze N, Singh B, Mookerjee A, Harrington LA, Macdonald DW. A socio-economic survey of pangolin hunting in Assam, Northeast India. NATURE CONSERVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.30.27379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
India has been identified as a source country for the illegal international trade in endangered pangolins, “scaly mammalian anteaters”, widely considered as the “world’s most trafficked mammal”. In this study, we investigated the involvement of hunters belonging principally to three locally prominent tribes (Biate, Dimasa and Karbi) in Assam State, Northeast India. Based on the results of interviews with 141 individuals, we conclude that all three tribal groups engaged in pangolin hunting between 2011 and 2016. Although pangolin meat is used locally, we found that hunters largely targeted pangolins for their scales and that substantial commercial gain via urban middlemen has now supplanted low-level traditional use as the primary driver for this activity. On average, each hunter captured one pangolin per year with the potential to earn 9,000 INR (135 USD) for a single animal (equating to approximately four months average income). The majority of hunters (89%) stated that pangolins were less abundant than they were five years ago, which suggests off-take is unsustainable. All hunters interviewed appeared to hunt pangolins occasionally, regardless of tribe, demography or income, which suggests that any mitigation strategy should focus on rural hunters. Whilst interventions to reduce poverty are no doubt required, we argue that such interventions alone are unlikely to be effective in reducing pangolin hunting. Rather, there is a need for co-ordinated packages of mutually reinforcing interventions to address this pangolin hunting in a more comprehensive manner. In particular, implementing a demand reduction strategy targeting urban consumers is urgently required.
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The demise of caterpillar fungus in the Himalayan region due to climate change and overharvesting. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:11489-11494. [PMID: 30348756 PMCID: PMC6233077 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811591115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Global demand for species used in traditional medicine is increasing among wealthy urban consumers. This growing trade provides livelihood opportunities for harvesters, but also risks causing resource overexploitation. A dearth of reliable data hinders assessments of whether these species are declining, and why. We investigate these issues for Himalayan caterpillar fungus—one of the world’s most expensive medicinal species—by integrating local harvesters’ knowledge of production trends with ecological modeling. We find that harvesters increasingly attribute declining production to overexploitation, while models indicate that climate warming is also contributing to this decline. Our results underscore the “double whammy” threatening highly valuable species, and demonstrate the complementarity of different knowledge systems for assessing the sustainability of the medicinal resource trade. Demand for traditional medicine ingredients is causing species declines globally. Due to this trade, Himalayan caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) has become one of the world’s most valuable biological commodities, providing a crucial source of income for hundreds of thousands of collectors. However, the resulting harvesting boom has generated widespread concern over the sustainability of its collection. We investigate whether caterpillar fungus production is decreasing—and if so, why—across its entire range. To overcome the limitations of sparse quantitative data, we use a multiple evidence base approach that makes use of complementarities between local knowledge and ecological modeling. We find that, according to collectors across four countries, caterpillar fungus production has decreased due to habitat degradation, climate change, and especially overexploitation. Our statistical models corroborate that climate change is contributing to this decline. They indicate that caterpillar fungus is more productive under colder conditions, growing in close proximity to areas likely to have permafrost. With significant warming already underway throughout much of its range, we conclude that caterpillar fungus populations have been negatively affected by a combination of overexploitation and climate change. Our results underscore that harvesting is not the sole threat to economically valuable species, and that a collapse of the caterpillar fungus system under ongoing warming and high collection pressure would have serious implications throughout the Himalayan region.
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Conservation genomics reveals possible illegal trade routes and admixture across pangolin lineages in Southeast Asia. CONSERV GENET 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-018-1080-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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40
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Gaubert P, Antunes A, Meng H, Miao L, Peigné S, Justy F, Njiokou F, Dufour S, Danquah E, Alahakoon J, Verheyen E, Stanley WT, O’Brien SJ, Johnson WE, Luo SJ. The Complete Phylogeny of Pangolins: Scaling Up Resources for the Molecular Tracing of the Most Trafficked Mammals on Earth. J Hered 2017; 109:347-359. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Gaubert
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM)—UM-CNRS-IRD-EPHE, Université, France
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Hao Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Lin Miao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Stéphane Peigné
- Centre de recherche sur la paléobiodiversité et les paléoenvironnements (CR2P)—UMR 7207 MNHN/CNRS/UPMC, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle—CP38, France
| | - Fabienne Justy
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM)—UM-CNRS-IRD-EPHE, Université, France
| | - Flobert Njiokou
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Ecologie, Université de Yaoundé I, Faculté des Sciences, Cameroon
| | | | - Emmanuel Danquah
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
| | | | - Erik Verheyen
- OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Stephen J O’Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, Russia
- Oceanographic Center, Dania Beach, FL
- Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL
| | - Warren E Johnson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA
| | - Shu-Jin Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, China
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Ingram DJ, Coad L, Abernethy KA, Maisels F, Stokes EJ, Bobo KS, Breuer T, Gandiwa E, Ghiurghi A, Greengrass E, Holmern T, Kamgaing TOW, Ndong Obiang AM, Poulsen JR, Schleicher J, Nielsen MR, Solly H, Vath CL, Waltert M, Whitham CEL, Wilkie DS, Scharlemann JP. Assessing Africa-Wide Pangolin Exploitation by Scaling Local Data. Conserv Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Ingram
- School of Life Sciences; University of Sussex; Brighton BN1 9QG UK
| | - Lauren Coad
- School of Life Sciences; University of Sussex; Brighton BN1 9QG UK
- Center for International Forestry Research; Jalan CIFOR Situ Gede; Sindang Barang Bogor (Barat) 16115 Indonesia
- UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre; 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DL UK
| | - Katharine A. Abernethy
- African Forest Ecology Group, School of Natural Sciences; University of Stirling; UK
- Institut de Recherches en Ecologie Tropicale; CENAREST; Gros Bouquet Libreville Gabon
| | - Fiona Maisels
- African Forest Ecology Group, School of Natural Sciences; University of Stirling; UK
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; 2300 Southern Boulevard NY 10460 USA
| | - Emma J. Stokes
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; 2300 Southern Boulevard NY 10460 USA
| | - Kadiri S. Bobo
- Department of Forestry; University of Dschang; P.O. Box: 222 Dschang Cameroon
| | - Thomas Breuer
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; 2300 Southern Boulevard NY 10460 USA
| | - Edson Gandiwa
- School of Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation; Chinhoyi University of Technology; Private Bag 7724 Chinhoyi Zimbabwe
| | | | - Elizabeth Greengrass
- The Born Free Foundation, Holmwood; Broadlands Business Campus; Langhurstwood Road Horsham RH12 4PN UK
| | - Tomas Holmern
- Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; N-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Towa O. W. Kamgaing
- School for the Training of Wildlife Specialists Garoua; Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife; P.O. Box: 271 Garoua Cameroon
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies; Kyoto University; Japan
| | | | - John R. Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Judith Schleicher
- UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre; 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DL UK
- Department of Geography; University of Cambridge; Downing Place Cambridge CB2 3EN UK
| | - Martin R. Nielsen
- Department of Food and Resource Economics; University of Copenhagen; Rolighedsvej 25,1958 Frederiksberg C Copenhagen Denmark
| | | | - Carrie L. Vath
- Montana Tech; 1300 West Park Street Butte MT 59701 USA
- School of Natural Resources and Environment; University of Florida; Gainesville FL USA
| | - Matthias Waltert
- Workgroup on Endangered Species, J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology; Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Charlotte E. L. Whitham
- CzechGlobe - Global Change Research Institute; The Czech Academy of Sciences; Bělidla 986/4a 60300 Brno Czech Republic
| | - David S. Wilkie
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; 2300 Southern Boulevard NY 10460 USA
| | - Jӧrn P.W. Scharlemann
- School of Life Sciences; University of Sussex; Brighton BN1 9QG UK
- UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre; 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DL UK
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