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TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
TRAFFIC Report: e Global Tracking of Pangolins: A Comprehensive summary of seizures and tracking (2010-2015) 1
SCALY NEXUS:
Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures
(2010–2015)
Lalita Gomez, Boyd T.C. Leupen, Kanitha Krishnasamy and Sarah Heinrich
REPORT
DECEMBER 2017
TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC works closely with its founding
organizations, IUCN and WWF, making a
critical contribution to achievement of their
conservation goals through a unique partnership.
Reprod uction of material appearing in this
report requires written permission from
the publisher.
e designations of geographical entities in
this publication, and the presentation of the
material, do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC
or its supporting organizations con cern ing
the legal status of any country, territory, or
area, or of its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
e views of the authors expressed in this
publication are those of the writers and do not
necessarily reect those of TRAFFIC, WWF or
IUCN.
Published by TRAFFIC.
Southeast Asia Regional Oce
Suite 12A-01, Level 12A, Tower 1,
Wisma AmFirst,
Jalan Stadium SS 7/15,
47301 Kelana Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia
Telephone : (603) 7880 3940
Fax : (603) 7882 0171
Copyright of material published in this report
is vested in TRAFFIC.
© TRAFFIC 2017.
ISBN no: 978-983-3393-77-0
UK Registered Charity No. 1076722.
Suggested citation: Gomez, L., Leupen, B.T.C.,
Krishnasamy, K., and Heinrich, S. (2017).
Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin
seizures (2010–2015) TRAFFIC, Southeast
Asia Regional Oce, Petaling Jaya, Selangor,
Malaysia.
Front cover photograph: One of 455 pangolins
seized in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia in June
2015
Credit: © FULLY HANDOKO/EPA
TRAFFIC REPORT
SCALY NEXUS:
Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures
(2010–2015)
Lalita Gomez, Boyd T.C. Leupen, Kanitha
Krishnasamy and Sarah Heinrich
© FULLY HANDOKO/EPA
One of 455 pangolins seized in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia in June 2015.
ii TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
A seized baby pangolin in North Sumatra province in 2012.
© DEDI SAHPUTRA /EPA
iii
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abbreviations and Acronyms iv
Acknowledgements v
Executive Summary vi
Introduction 1
Legislation 3
Methodology 5
Results and Discussion 8
Conclusion and Recommendations 19
References 21
Annex 24
iv TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ASAP Asian Species Action Partnership
BKSDA Nature Conservation Agency (Indonesia)
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora
CM Cameroon
CN China—mainland China and Hong Kong
CoP Conference of Parties
ID Indonesia
IDR Indonesian Rupiah
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
kg Kilogramme
KKH Department of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (Indonesia)
LA Lao People’s Democratic Republic
LIPI Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Indonesia)
MA (CITES) Management Authority
MY Malaysia
n Number
NGO Non-governmental organization
PH Philippines
PDR People’s Democratic Republic (Lao)
RU Russian Federation
SAR Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong)
sd Standard deviation
se Standard error
SG Singapore
SSC Species Survival Commission
TH ailand
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization
US United States of America
USD US Dollar
VN Viet Nam
WRS Wildlife Reserves Singapore
v
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We owe thanks to Chris R. Shepherd and Debbie Martyr for their comments on an earlier dra
of the report. We thank Dan Challender for his contribution of seizure data, and our amazing
TRAFFIC colleagues, Elizabeth John, Richard omas and Steve Broad for kindly reviewing
and editing this report, Aqeela Abdul Jalil for her prowess in laying it out. We also thank Karlina
Indrawasari for helping us collate information on the pangolin trade in Indonesia, as well as the
numerous individuals who have helped us gain better insight and understanding on the pangolin
trade dynamics in Indonesia.
Lastly we are grateful to Hauser Bears, the United States Department of State, Zoo and Aquarium
Association (ZAA), Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and
an anonymous donor for their support and generous funding that made this project possible.
vi TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Indonesia is home to one species of pangolin, the Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica, which can
be found from Sumatra, Java and adjacent islands to Kalimantan. Currently listed as Critically
Endangered on e IUCN Red List of reatened SpeciesTM, this species is suspected to be in severe
decline due to illegal trade. While little is known about the population of pangolins in Indonesia,
it is likely that current trade and hunting levels are unsustainable. ere is evidence of professional
and industrial-scale hunting for the purposes of commercial international trade. is report
provides an insight into the illegal trade of pangolins involving Indonesia by analysing seizure data
between 2010 and 2015. e report discusses the country’s role in the illicit trade of pangolins in the
region and the impact it is likely to have on the conservation of the Sunda Pangolin.
Most of the seizures recorded took place in Indonesia (83%) and point to Sumatra being a hotspot
in the so-called Sundaland connection—linking Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore—with Medan in
North Sumatra appearing to be a major collection site before export. e majority of the Indonesian
seizures occurred in Sumatra (n=55), followed by Java (n=26) and Kalimantan (n=11). In terms
of estimated whole pangolins, however, Java and Sumatra appear equally involved in pangolin
tracking. e remaining records involved seizures in six other countries/territories, namely
China (mainland China and Hong Kong), Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, the US, and Viet
Nam. China, Malaysia and Viet Nam were the top three locations most closely linked to Indonesia
based on the number or frequency of seizure incidents. China and Viet Nam were implicated
as destinations (involving an estimated 10 491 pangolins and 9852 pangolins respectively) while
Malaysia emerged as the most prominent transit country in the movement of pangolins from
Indonesia to end use destinations in East Asia. ese seizure numbers may also be a reection
of (more) eective enforcement eorts in these locations. Only one record involving a shipment
originating from outside of Indonesia was found in the country, which concerned a seizure of
pangolin scales from Cameroon.
Very little is known about the Sunda Pangolin’s population size in Indonesia. However, considering
the large number of seizures and animals involved, and the fact that the average generation span
of the Sunda Pangolin is seven years, pangolin populations in Indonesia are likely to be in decline
as a result of illegal trade. Such decline is expected to continue unless immediate measures to
counter this problem are put into place. With Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla populations all but
depleted due to the illegal trade, other Asian pangolin populations, including the Sunda Pangolin in
Indonesia may likely face a similar fate. e illegal international Asian pangolin trade is therefore
of high and immediate concern. e IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Pangolin Specialist
Group, IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS),
recently organized the Pangolin Regional Conservation Planning Workshop, between 28–30
June 2017, to develop a more detailed, regional conservation strategy for the Sunda Pangolin that
would guide investment in pangolin conservation and catalyse support for implementation of such
strategies. Based on some of the key outcomes from the workshop discussions, it was revealed that
saving pangolins from extinction will require engaging local communities in their conservation and
addressing the demand for pangolin products, as well as strengthening domestic legislation and
policy to combat the illegal wildlife trade. In light of this, TRAFFIC recommends the following:
Law enforcement
t Law enforcement capacity should be enhanced to improve proactive investigation into the
international pangolin trade. Multi-agency collaboration, both at a local (provincial), national
and international level, should be established and/or intensied to tackle the international
and organized criminal networks involved in smuggling pangolins across Indonesia’s borders.
Knowledge and capacity of law enforcers should be enhanced, especially at important
vii
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
international wildlife trade hubs at land, sea and airports. Eorts to monitor and investigate
this problem should be enhanced and increased at the hotspots identied by this study,
particularly within Sumatra and Kalimantan as source hotspots as well as the trade hotspots in
Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra.
• Better co-operation and co-ordination between enforcement agencies, including Customs
and police, is needed on the national and international levels. On an international level, such
co-operation, especially between Indonesia and Malaysia, will be crucial in order to increase
detection rates, disrupt the movement of pangolin shipments across international boundaries
and dismantle organized wildlife crime syndicates. ese are perhaps most needed to tackle
tracking between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, as well as within Borneo, particularly
between Kalimantan and Sarawak.
• Prosecutors and the judiciary should be made aware of the legal and environmental
consequences of the illicit pangolin trade as part of a wider eort in prioritizing attention to
wildlife crime. is is expected to contribute to increased and more successful prosecution
rates and penalties for pangolin and other wildlife tracking.
• To support global pangolin conservation eorts, Indonesia’s revision of its wildlife legislation
should list all eight pangolin species at the highest protection level. is will enable the country
eectively to comply with CITES and ban all international pangolin trade.
Monitoring
• Conservation organizations and research institutions should continue monitoring and reporting
the tracking of pangolins in and out of Indonesia. is will aid in the eort to understand
better and gauge levels of illegal trade and detect emerging trends (e.g. Indonesia’s potential
involvement as a transit country in the intercontinental trade of pangolins). is will help guide
and shape enforcement interventions, conservation actions, decision making, and policies to
overcome smuggling.
• Reporting to CITES by Indonesia, in adherence to the new annual illegal trade reporting
requirements of CITES Notication 007 that was issued in February 2016, will complement
global eorts to monitor and tackle the illegal international pangolin trade. e CITES
Notication calls for reporting to the CITES Secretariat, which involves a comprehensive
account of actions and outcomes of seizure and prosecution information. is level of reporting
is needed to improve analysis of the country’s pangolin trade level and trends, which would feed
towards improved law enforcement eorts.
Further research
• In Indonesia, a Sunda Pangolin population status overview is needed in order to establish
national conservation threat levels and guide enforcement and prosecution reforms.
• Research into pangolin trade drivers and potential substitutes for pangolin products is needed
not only in major destinations such as China and Viet Nam, but across the Southeast Asian
region, where local consumption of pangolin products still occurs, albeit on a smaller scale.
Such research will help us to understand trade dynamics better and would form the basis for
future awareness-raising eorts.
Behaviour change
• By inducing behaviour change in consumption countries, the demand for pangolin products
can be decreased. Best practice approaches to social behaviour change communications need to
be explored and pursued. Such communications should include awareness raising campaigns
and consumer education. Further behaviour change can be brought about by enhanced law
enforcement eorts.
• In addition to behaviour change among consumers, there should be similar eorts to inuence
local communities and hunters involved in poaching and trading of pangolins. is may be
achieved by educating them on the illegality of the trade and the importance of protecting
pangolins.
viii TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
INDONESIAN PANGOLIN SEIZURES 2010-2015
10,457
2,449
10,399
55
11
26
Sumatra
Java
Kalimantan
Read more: TRAFFIC Report: SCALY NEXUS: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010-2015)
Estimated
no. of pangolins
No. of
seizures
MAIN COUNTRIES LINKED TO
INDONESIAN PANGOLIN SEIZURES
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PANGOLINS
BY MAIN COMMODITY SEIZED
Scales Whole
Meat
14,184 16,061
5,198
NGOLIN SEIZURES 2010-2
0
2,449
Kalimantan
China Malaysia Viet Nam
1
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Indonesia is among the most biodiverse countries in the world. Unfortunately, and notwithstanding
management eorts to conserve this natural richness, the country has long been recognized as a
signicant illegal wildlife trade hub (Chng et al., 2015; Nijman, 2015; Auliya et al., 2016). Traders
use the country to source illegal wildlife products from key species including Tigers Panthera tigris,
various primates, Sun Bears Helarctos malayanus and birds (Shepherd, 2000; Anon., 2001; Shepherd
and Magnus, 2004; Nijman and Shepherd, 2009; Schoppe, 2009; Semiadi et al., 2009; Nijman, 2010;
Altherr et al., 2011; Chng et al., 2015; Nijman, 2015; Auliya et al., 2016). Illicit trade in endangered
oral and faunal species in, from and to Indonesia is widespread and concerns both national and
international trade chains. A recent report assessing wildlife crime in Indonesia indicates a growing
pattern, with illegal trade increasingly involving organized criminal networks (Anon., 2015).
Among the myriad species of wildlife that are traded in and out of Indonesia, are pangolins.
Pangolins are currently among the most heavily tracked mammals in the world (Newton et al.,
2008; Challender et al., 2014). Analysis of seizure records between 1999 and 2017 show that a
minimum of 192 567 pangolins were involved in illegal trade, based on 1557 seizure incidents
globally and involving all species of pangolins (Challendar and Waterman, 2017). Increasing and
persisting East Asian demand continues to put pressure on all eight existing pangolin species (Sunda
Pangolin Manis javanica, Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla, Indian Pangolin M. crassicaudata and
Philippine Pangolin M. culionensis in Asia and Giant Ground Pangolin M. gigantea, Temminck’s
Ground Pangolin M. temminckii, White-bellied Pangolin M. tricuspis and Black-bellied Pangolin
M. tetradactyla in Africa) (Challender, 2011; Challender and Hywood, 2012; Gomez et al., 2016a;
Nijman et al., 2016; Xu et al., 2016). e four Asian species in particular are considered to be in
rapid decline (Challender, 2011; Challender et al., 2014; Nijman et al., 2016).
Pangolins are especially sought aer for their meat and scales, with the latter used for traditional
medicinal purposes (Wu et al., 2004; Wu and Ma, 2007; Zhang and Yin, 2014; Nijman, 2015; Gomez
et al., 2016a; 2016b), while their meat is consumed as a luxury dish or local source of protein
(Mohapatra et al., 2015; Shairp et al., 2016). e growth of Chinese wealth since the country’s
economic liberation in the 1980s has found consumers willing and able to aord highly valuable
pangolin products and has further intensied demand (Challender, 2011). As pangolin populations
in China (and in neighbouring countries) have dwindled over the years, harvesting for the trade has
moved southwards across the Asian continent, with Malaysia and Indonesia currently being among
the most important regional suppliers in the international trade chain (Semiadi et al., 2009; Sopyan,
2009; Tuuga, 2009; Challender, 2011; IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, 2016). Increasingly
there has also been a shi in trade from Asian species (likely due to dwindling populations) to
African species, with intercontinental trade records involving large quantities of pangolin scales
(i.e. several tonnes) (Challender and Hywood, 2012; Challender et al., 2016; Gomez et al., 2016a;
Heinrich et al., 2016).
Indonesia is home to one species of pangolin, the Sunda Pangolin, which can be found from
Sumatra, Java and adjacent Indonesian Islands to Kalimantan (Challender et al., 2014) (Figure 1).
©Hans Breuer
INTRODUCTION
2TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
It has been protected in the country since 1931, dating back to the time of the Dutch administration,
under the previous Wildlife Protection Ordinance No 266 (CITES, 2017), but illegal trade continues
to occur at alarming levels. Indonesia’s involvement in the international pangolin trade dates back to
at least the early 20th century, with records of large shipments of scales from Java to China from as
early as 1925 (Semiadi et al., 2009; Nijman, 2015). Between 1958 and 1964 there was documented
trade of pangolin scales from Kalimantan on the island of Borneo to Hong Kong, amounting to an
estimated 25 000 pangolins per year (Nijman, 2015). During the 1990s, trade in pangolins out of
Indonesia mostly involved skins which were used to make leather products such as bags, wallets
and other accessories (Sopyan, 2008). By the early 2000s, the skin trade was replaced by the more
protable international trade in pangolin scales which was coveted for use in Traditional Chinese
Medicine. Since 2002, demand has increased not only for scales but also for pangolin meat and
internal organs, the trade in which has continued unabated until today.
While little is known about the population status of the Sunda Pangolin in Indonesia, it is known
that the species has an average generation span of seven years, making current trade and hunting
levels of the species likely to be unsustainable (Challender et al., 2014). e Sunda Pangolin is
currently listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Red List of reatened Species, largely due to the threat trade poses, and is suspected to be
in severe decline in Indonesia (Challender et al., 2014).
Lao PDR
Viet Nam
Cambodia
Thailand
Myanmar
Malaysia
Indonesia
Brunei
Singapore
Figure 1. Sunda Pangolin Manis
javanica range distribution.
Source: IUCN Red List -
http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=12763
3
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
National legislation
With at least ve key legislations governing the use and trade of wildlife since 1990, Indonesia’s
national wildlife legislation relating to the protection and regulation on the harvest and trade of
native species is generally adequate. However, the list of protected species requires reviewing
and updating. At a national level, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s Department of Forest
Protection and Nature Conservation (KKH) is responsible for implementing the country’s wildlife
legislation. At a sub-national level, this responsibility falls on the Nature Conservation Agency
(BKSDA). e Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) provides relevant scientic advice, for
example with regards to setting quotas for harvest and export.
e Act of the Republic of Indonesia No.5 of 1990 concerning conservation of living resources and
their ecosystems, widely known as the Conservation Act (No.5) 1990, is the principal legislation
pertaining to the regulation of wildlife trade in Indonesia. Under this Act, species are categorized
as “Protected” or “Unprotected” whereby species listed as Protected are classied as “Endangered”
or “Rare”. Chapter V Article 21 states that Protected species are not allowed to be caught, injured,
killed, kept, possessed, cared for, transported, or traded whether alive or dead. Exceptions in this
regard are permitted by the Government for the purposes of research, science and/or safeguarding
a species. Violation of this Act can result in imprisonment for a maximum of ve years and a ne
of up to IDR100 million (USD7519). Chapter V also states that only Unprotected wildlife may be
traded, and traders must submit trade records annually. All trade of plants and animals must be
accompanied by legal documents.
at said, under Government Regulation No. 8, 1999 concerning the utilization of wild plants and
animals of this Act, the trade of a Protected species is permitted if the specimens are captive-
bred. Captive-bred animals are subject to regulations under the Decree of the Ministry of Forestry,
No.P.19/Ministry of Forestry-II/2005 concerning captive management of wild plant and animal
species and Article 10 in Government Regulation No. 8, 1999, which denes that only second and
subsequent generations of captive-bred Protected animals may be traded, and that all breeders
must be registered with KKH (for exporters) and BKSDA (supplying to exporters but not exporting
themselves). Currently, this is not permitted for pangolins.
LEGISLATION
©Hans Breuer
4TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Protected species are listed under Government Regulation No.7, 1999, Concerning the preservation
of ora and fauna. is list has not been updated since it was rst gazetted, and therefore does not
include newly-recognized species and species that have since become of conservation concern.
Sunda Pangolins are listed as a Protected species under this regulation, which technically means that
all trade and harvest of wild-caught specimens is prohibited. e Indonesian Government is also
in the midst of a revision of its wildlife protection legislations (Conservation Act (No.5) 1990 and
Government Regulation No.7, 1999).
Under the Decree of the Minister of Forestry Number 447/Kpts-II/2003 concerning the administration
directive of harvest and capture and distribution of the specimens of wild plant and animal species,
a quota system regulates the collection and trade of unprotected animals. Harvest and export
quotas are set by KKH annually for native species, except for Protected species or species listed in
Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES), which are prohibited from being harvested at all.
CITES
Indonesia has been a party to CITES since 1978. e Directorate of Biodiversity of the Ministry
of Environment and Forestry functions as the national CITES Management Authority and is
responsible for the implementation of CITES in Indonesia, while LIPI functions as the country’s
ocial Scientic Authority for CITES. Indonesia’s CITES-implementing legislations however,
specically the Government Regulation No.7, 1999, has fundamental aws in that it does not
protect a vast number of non-native species and therefore eectively renders it meaningless when
it concerns the trade of non-native species. In the year 2000, a zero annual CITES export quota
was established for the four Asian pangolin species (Anon., 2000) but not for the African species.
However, as of January 2017, all eight existing pangolin species were transferred from Appendix
II to Appendix I of CITES, a decision that was adopted during the 17th Conference of the Parties
(CoP) to CITES in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2016. is eectively means that all international
commercial trade in wild caught pangolins is prohibited.
© Kanitha KrishnasamyTRAFFIC
5
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
METHODOLOGY
To assess Indonesia’s role in the international pangolin trade, a comprehensive seizure analysis was
conducted. For this, pangolin seizure data for transactions involving Indonesia were collected for
the period between 2010 and 2015. ese data were extracted from various sources, including
TRAFFIC publications, Customs, police, CITES, and media reports, grey literature and records from
other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It should be noted that non-English media reports
were not specically searched during the collation of the dataset, but were included when they were
provided by a third party.
Only seizure data that involved Indonesia as a source, transit or destination country were included
in the analysis. A “seizure country” was dened as the country where the seizure took place and
could be either a source, transit or destination country. A “source country” was dened as the rst
known point of a trade route, a “transit country” was dened as a country which had functioned
or was intended to function as both an importing and a re-exporting country in the trade route,
and a “destination country” was dened as the last known or reported point of a trade route. For
the purpose of this analysis the reported seizure data were assumed to be correct and complete;
it is acknowledged, however, that seizure data are inherently inuenced by a number of biases.
e acquired seizure data were analysed for summary statistics, general trends relating to the
commodity types being traded, and the countries involved during the research period. e analyses
were conducted in the R soware environment version 3.3.2 (R Core Team, 2016).
Apart from one incident where scales reportedly came from Africa, this analysis assumed that the
pangolins involved belonged to the Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica given that the reported origin
of the pangolin and/or parts was Indonesia. Where the weight of an animal was given, but no
count, a minimum and a maximum gure of whole estimated animals of the Sunda Pangolin were
calculated, following Gaubert (2011) i.e. 3–10 kg/animal. For scales it was assumed that the Sunda
Pangolin would have 0.361 kg of scales per animal, following Zhao-Min et al. (2012).
In one incident where the quantity of specimens was described as “hundreds of dead pangolins”, a
minimum of 200 and a maximum of 999 pangolins was assumed. In three incidents where skins
were reported but only a weight was given, it was assumed that the reported commodity was
actually scales. In another incident where the number of scales was reported as 146 pieces it was
©Hans Breuer
6TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
© BAGUS INDAHONO/EPA
Indonesian Forestry Department destroys seized pangolins in Jakarta in June 2012
7
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
assumed that a minimum of one pangolin and a maximum of 146 pangolins were involved. In one
incident where three “pax” of meat were reported, it was assumed that one to three pangolins were
involved. In one incident where the seized scales originated from Africa, a minimum scale weight of
the heaviest African pangolin (Giant Ground Pangolin M. gigantea) and the maximum scale weight
of the lightest African pangolin (White-bellied Pangolin M. tricupis) (assuming scales make up 30%
of a pangolins body weight and following Gaubert (2011) for a species body weight) were used to
estimate the quantity of pangolins involved. In one incident where meat was reported and both a
count and a weight were given, it was assumed that the count involved the number of dead pangolin
bodies and was used as such to determine the number of pangolins involved.
In all incidents, the minimum and maximum estimated number of individual animals was calculated,
and a rounded up average used for subsequent analysis. In three incidents, the information provided
was not sucient to convert the quantity into whole estimated pangolins and they were therefore
excluded from the analysis. In three other incidents only parts of the seized items could be converted
due to insucient information. ese six included quantities of reported “tons of scales” in one
incident, “legs” and “heads”, “medicinals”, and several kilogrammes of “body parts” in other incidents,
and “meat” and a further “sack of scales”.
Commodity types were consolidated into six categories for analysis, with the rst three categories of
“live”, “dead” and “individuals” calculated as whole animals (Table 1).
Table 1: Commodity types used in the analysis
Commodity type Description
Live Reported as live animals seized.
Dead Reported as dead or frozen animals without further description of the state these
animals were found i.e. parts or whole, with or without scales, etc. Assumed to
involve whole animals.
Individuals Assumed to be whole animals that were seized but insucient information
reported to discern whether these involved live or dead specimens.
Meat Usually reported by weight without further description on whether this involved
whole dead/frozen specimens or body parts, etc.
Scales Reported as scales.
Skins Reported as skins seized.
Body Parts Reported as body parts and assumed to involve any pangolin part excluding scales
and skin.
Given the inconsistent manner in which seizures, enforcement action and eort are reported and
recorded by the dierent countries, it is unlikely that this dataset is representative of the complete
set of seizures involving Indonesia. Due to the inherently covert nature of the (international) illegal
pangolin trade, its true extent is unlikely to be reected by the reported seizure data alone. Seizure
records are an indirect measure of tracking levels, but the data are inherently biased. is is due to
a number of factors, including varying levels of law enforcement in each country, dierent reporting
and recording practices of both law enforcement and media, variability in NGO behaviour and
advocacy, dierent levels of corruption, language biases etc. erefore, more seizures in one country
may not necessarily translate into higher wildlife tracking levels in comparison to other countries.
It is acknowledged that the above mentioned factors, among others, will ultimately inuence the
results of any seizure analysis, however, there is currently no comparable approach to gauge wildlife
tracking levels (but see Ingram et al., 2017 for a dierent approach, using local scale hunting and
market data).
8TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
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)
)
A total of 111 pangolin seizure records in which Indonesia was indicated as either a source country
or a seizure country was found for the period between 2010 and 2015. ese records involved live
and dead pangolins, scales, meat and body parts. e number of seizures per year were generally
constant throughout the research period (Figure 2a; estimate=0.14, standard error (se)=0.62, t=0.23,
p=0.83), averaging around 18.5 (standard deviation (sd)=2.4) (with a peak of 22 seizures in 2013).
e tracked volumes (i.e. estimated whole pangolins) uctuated through time (Figure 2b; [log10]
Estimate=-0.01, SE=0.08, t=0.101, p=0.92). e total number of seizure records was estimated to
involve about 35 632 seized pangolins over the six-year period (averaging 4421 (min=2436, max=10
857) pangolins per year), with the greatest quantities seized in 2011 (10 857 estimated whole
pangolins) and 2013 (10 776 estimated whole pangolins).
Figure 2: (a) e number of pangolin seizure incidents (Manis spp.) and (b) estimated number of whole
pangolins, 2010–2015.
Most seized commodities (79%) involved dead pangolins in the form of bodies, meat, scales and
skins which accounted for an estimated 27 960 whole pangolins (Table 2). Even though 37% of
seizures involved at least some live animals, the total number of seized live pangolins was no more
than 2884 (although this excludes “individuals” recorded which may involve live or dead animals).
Nevertheless, it should be noted that regardless of whether these animals were seized alive, not
all of them will survive in captivity or will be able to be released back into the wild. e seized
commodity that represented the highest volume of whole pangolins involved were scales.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
9
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
9
T
TR
TR
T
T
A
AF
F
FI
C
Re
e
po
po
p
p
rt
rt
rt
t
:
:
:
S
Sc
Sc
S
a
al
l
l
y
y
y
y
y
N
N
N
Ne
x
xu
u
s:
M
M
M
M
ap
ap
a
ping
I
I
nd
on
es
e
ia
ia
n
n
n
n
pa
pa
p
ng
g
n
ol
ol
in
sei
zu
zu
re
re
s
s
(
(2
(2
2
(
(
0
01
01
0
0–
0–
0
–
20
20
15
)
Table 2: Seized quantities and estimated whole pangolins of tracked pangolin commodities
from 2010–2015.*
Commodity Seized Number of Seizures** Quantity Whole Pangolins
(Estimate)
Live 41 1540+6200 kg 2884
Dead 17 2681 + 23 566 kg 8389
Individuals 40 4788 4788
Meat 8 23 969.45 kg 5198
Scales 29 5218.57 kg + 146
pieces
14 184
Skins 1 189 189
* Note: Quantities were not reported in all seizure incidents. ese, as well as incidents that could not be
converted, as described in the methodology, may not be reected in the above table. Quantities are reported as a
number of the commodity, unless otherwise marked (e.g. kg).
**Note that each seizure may involve more than one type of commodity seized.
Seizures in Indonesia
Of the 111 recorded seizures, the majority (83%) was found to have taken place in Indonesia (n=92),
while the remaining records, which involved seizures in six other locations (China, Lao PDR,
Malaysia, Philippines, USA and Viet Nam) (Table 3), implicated Indonesia as a source country. Of
the 92 seizures occurring in Indonesia, most were found to have taken place in Sumatra (n=55,
followed by Java (n=26) and Kalimantan (n=11)) (Table 4). In one case the precise seizure location
within Indonesia was unclear. Of the 19 seizures that occurred outside of Indonesia, at least eight
were reportedly from Sumatra, while in the remaining 11 cases, the shipments were said to have
originated from Indonesia, without any further details being given as to the specic place of origin.
Only one record specically indicated a source country other than Indonesia. is concerned a
shipment of pangolin scales originating from Cameroon that was seized in Jakarta in January 2015.
Table 3: e number of seizure records linked to Indonesia per country and the associated
number of whole estimated pangolins per seizure from 2010–2015.
Country CM CN ID LA MY PH RU SG TH US VN
Number of seizures 0 2 92 1 11 1 0 0 0 1 3
Whole
Pangolins1
0 6665 23 305 81 1046 2167 0 0 0 0 2368
Number of cases with
link to country2
1 14 111 2 22 1 1 4 3 1 7
Notes: 1 estimation as described in the methodology; 2 implicated either as a source, transit or destination country.
*CM – Cameroon, CN – China (including mainland China and Hong Kong), LA – Lao PDR, MY – Malaysia, PH –
Philippines, RU – Russian Federation, SG – Singapore, TH – ailand, US – United States and
VN – Viet Nam.
10 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Table 4: Total number of pangolin seizures in Indonesia—Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra,
2010–2015.
Seizure Location Min number of pangolins Number of seizures
Java 10 399 26
Kalimantan 2449 11
Sumatra 10 457 55
Total 23 305 92
Recorded seizures involved as few as one pangolin to as many as 6307 pangolins. ere were at least
11 incidents where the seizures involved over a 1000 estimated whole pangolins, seven of which
occurred in Indonesia i.e. Sumatra (3 seizures), Java (3 seizures) and Kalimantan (1 seizure). e
largest of these Indonesian seizures in terms of number of pangolins seized was one of 5.9 tonnes
of pangolin meat and 790 kg of scales (amounting to an estimated 3474 whole pangolins) at the
Belawan International Container Terminal in Medan, Sumatra, which was reportedly headed for
Viet Nam. ese were smuggled amongst several tonnes of snakehead sh Channa spp. and Asiatic
Soshell Turtle Amyda cartilaginea meat. In terms of weight, the heaviest seizure was of a container
with over 8500 kg of dead pangolins and close to 350 kg of pangolin scales (which was estimated to
amount to 2812 whole pangolins), which occurred at the Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta (Java). It is
striking that even though the amount of seizures in Sumatra was approximately twice as high as in
Java, the amount of tracked pangolins was approximately the same for both islands.
e Indonesian Forestry department destroys tonnes of illegal pangolins that were conscated from 2011
until early 2012.
©BAGUS INDAHONO/EPA
11
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Seizures outside Indonesia
Besides Indonesia, 10 other countries were found to have been involved in the pangolin trade
with Indonesia (Table 3), serving either as source, transit or destination countries. e top three
locations that have the closest ties with Indonesia, based on either estimated number of whole
pangolins or frequency, are China, Viet Nam and Malaysia. ese are based either on reported
seizure location (where Indonesia was named as a source), or where the locations were part of the
trade chain in relation to where the seizure occurred or where a shipment was reportedly destined
for.
China, although implicated in only 12 of the 111 seizure records, accounted for the largest volume
of pangolins smuggled (these 12 seizures are estimated to involve 10 491 whole pangolins). It
was found to serve only as a destination. Of the 12 seizures, only two occurred in China (one in
mainland China and the other in Hong Kong) involving shipments originating from Indonesia. e
total number of pangolins seized in these two incidents was estimated at 6665 largely due to one
seizure of 232 boxes containing 2041 frozen pangolins and 1540 kg of pangolin scales (a total of
6307 estimated whole pangolins). Also seized were 11 boxes of python skins and 23 boxes of frozen
tortoises. is was the largest seizure recorded for the study period, 2010–2015. Of the 12 incidents
implicating China, the most frequently seized commodity was pangolin scales (n=7 incidents). In
three incidents these scales were found in combination with live and/or dead pangolins.
Viet Nam was linked to seven seizures involving Indonesia from 2010–2014; no seizures were
reported to have occurred in 2015. ese seven seizures combined accounted for the second
highest total volume of pangolins seized (9852 animals). ree of these seizures occurred within the
country (amounting to 2368 animals) and a further four seizure records implicated Viet Nam as a
destination country. e commodities seized included meat, scales and live pangolins, although the
most abundant in terms of volume seized was meat i.e. 18.1 tonnes from three seizures.
Malaysia emerged as the most prominent country implicated in the Indonesian pangolin seizure
data, based on the frequency of reported incidents (a minimum of 22 cases involving a minimum
of 3204 pangolins). ere were 11 recorded seizures (involving 1046 animals) in Malaysia—all
of which were seized on vessels by the marine police with the source of pangolin shipments
reportedly from Indonesia. A further 11 seizures, which occurred in Indonesia (n=10 seizures)
and Lao PDR (n=1 seizure) and accounted for a minimum of 2158 pangolins, involved shipments
being transported to or through Malaysia. It is believed that the country largely functions as an
export and transit hub through which Malaysian and Indonesian pangolins are shipped to end
use destinations in Indochina and East Asia (Semiadi et al., 2009; Sopyan, 2009; Nijman et al.,
2016; Xu et al., 2016). With demand coming predominantly from East Asian countries, shipments
are likely to be transported through Malaysia. at said, this is a data gap that warrants further
investigation. e seizures in Malaysia took place in three main States (Johor (n=4), Melaka (n=3)
and Perak (n=4)) on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and generally involved shipments of live
pangolins (ranging between 15 and 100 pangolins in each shipment) by sea. Similarly, the seizure
records implicating Malaysia as a destination and transit country mostly involved shipments of live
pangolins (n=11), a mix of both live and dead pangolins (n=3; including scales, n=1 seizures), or
individuals (n=3). Pangolin parts are known to be consumed in selected locations in the country,
sourced by local hunters and served to exotic meat restaurants and therefore the country’s role as
a consumer requires further investigation (Pantel and Anak, 2010; Yuen, 2013; Arumugam, 2015;
Chan, 2017; Anon, 2017; TRAFFIC wild meat surveys, unpublished).
e Philippines was implicated in one large seizure which involved an estimated 2167 whole
pangolins (10 000 kg pangolin meat), although in this case, the pangolins were only discovered aer
a Chinese vessel ran aground in a coral reef within the Philippine Tubbataha National Marine Park,
a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site on Palawan Island (Cerojano, 2013). According to the
crewmen arrested, the pangolins were from Indonesia.
12 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
12
T
ere was only one incident where the source
of the seized shipment was reportedly an
African country – 200 kg of pangolin scales
from Cameroon were seized at the Soekarno-
Hatta International Airport in Jakarta in
2015. It is likely the scales were intended
for a destination other than Indonesia as it
primarily functions as a source of pangolins,
rather than a consumer.
In at least 21 seizures, pangolins were
conscated along with other wildlife
products and contraband. Other wildlife
most frequently seized alongside pangolins
included birds (live and parts) (n=9 seizures)
and snakes (mostly pythons, live and
skins, n=6 seizures). Of the nine seizures
that included birds, at least ve involved
hornbill casques, amounting to almost 500
pieces, although the bulk of this was mostly
attributed to two seizures. In the rst,
authorities conscated pangolin scales along
with 229 pieces of Critically Endangered
Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil beaks and
bear parts (44 bear claws and one canine)
in Kalimantan, reportedly for a Taiwanese
buyer (Anon, 2013). e second incident
involved the conscation of 189 pangolin
skins and 248 pieces of Helmeted Hornbill
beaks in Jakarta, although these items were
reportedly sourced from Kalimantan (Anon.,
2013a; 2013b). Authorities arrested four
Chinese nationals who were heading to Hong
Kong on a China Airline ight. ese cases
demonstrate that pangolin shipments from
Southeast Asia are sometimes accompanied
by other high-value wildlife commodities
destined for the East Asian market.
As mentioned, seizure data are biased and
the records are likely to represent only part of
the illegal pangolin trade. Due to the trade’s
inherently covert nature and the possibility
of insucient or incomplete reporting, its
true extent will remain unclear. Although the
data found in this study may not present us
with a complete picture, they are indicative of
certain trade trends and dynamics.
13
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
©TRAFFIC
14 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
China
Taiwan
Philippines
Kalimantan (ID)
Java (ID)
Sumatra (ID)
“Indonesia”
Thailand
Singapore
Lao PDR
Viet Nam
to Russia
to
United
States
from
Cameroon
Malaysia
Hong
Kong
Indonesia as a source country
e number of seizures associated with Indonesia that were found to have taken place during the
research period is indicative of the potentially important role the country plays in the international
pangolin trade. Of the 111 seizure records for Indonesia over the study period, only 42 records
included data on international trade routes (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Pangolin trade routes involving Indonesia—thickness of lines indicates number (frequency)
of recorded shipments per route, with the thinnest lines representing one shipment. Blue lines mark
shipments originating from “Indonesia” (unspecied location), red lines mark shipments originating
from Sumatra, green lines mark shipments originating from Java, orange lines mark shipments
originating from Kalimantan, light blue lines mark shipments originating from outside of Indonesia.
15
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
is dataset shows that, aside from one seizure record, all those reported by the seven countries
in which seizures were made were of shipments originating from Indonesia. is conrms that
Indonesia functions mainly as an important source country. e data show that Indonesia has
remained a key link in the black market trade of the Sunda Pangolin (see also Shepherd, 2009;
Pantel and Anak, 2010; Challender, 2011).
24
6
2
3
7
8
4
16
2
6
5
5
“Sumatra”
(unspecied)
North Sumatra
West Sumatra
Riau
Jambi
Bengkulu
Lampung
South Sumatra
Jakarta Central Java
West Java
East Java
West Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan
South Kalimantan
2
Figure 4: Seizure hotspots within Indonesia based on seizure data between 2010 and 2015. Numbers
indicate the amount of seizures made during the research period, with those circles not containing a
number representing a single seizure.
16 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Sumatra and the Sundaland connection
Sumatra appears to be home to the highest number of pangolin trade hotspots, with most trade
passing through the North Sumatra province (Figure 4). e island’s trade volumes can (at least
partly) be explained by what can be called the “Sundaland connection”. is refers to the strong
trade links between Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia and its role as a central distribution point.
Due to its proximity to both Malaysia and Singapore, Sumatra appears to be the most important
Indonesian island in the Sundaland connection. Of the incidents involving Malaysia (n=22
seizures) and Singapore (n=4 seizures), 19 were reported to be linked to Sumatra. Pangolin trade
out of Sumatra was found to have Peninsular Malaysia as a (rst) destination, with Medan in North
Sumatra being a major collection site before export. Information from condential sources single
Medan out as such. Similar ndings are reported by Tankandjandji and Sawitri (2016) who report
that pangolins from Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra are exported through Belawan Port,
Medan, while pangolins from Riau Province and South Sumatra are exported through Palembang.
Information received by TRAFFIC over the years has yielded additional insight into this trade. In
2016, collectors in Curup, Bengkulu have been said to obtain around one to two pangolins from
local hunters per day and sell them to middlemen in Medan (with the price of a live pangolin
reportedly being around IDR350 000 (USD26) and the price of pangolin scales being around
IDR3 000 000 (USD223) per kg). Similarly, collectors in Muara Bahan, Logas Subdistrict, Kuansing,
Riau have been said to sell live pangolins, collected from local villages, to middlemen in Medan
(and Padang) for around IDR200 000 (USD15) per kg. Another collector noted that Sijunjung,
Kiliran Jao and Dharmasraya in West-Sumatra were notable locations targeted for the poaching
of pangolins and other wildlife such as Helmeted Hornbills, stored in small numbers at a time (no
more than two or three pangolins at a time) to minimize risk. e specimens are then transported
overland to Medan, using couriers, although middlemen have been known to come pick up their
shipments when these are larger than normal. From Medan, Peninsular Malaysia is easily reachable
by boat and plane. According to Challender and Waterman (2017), interviews with poachers in
2012 revealed an average of 25–30 pangolins were collected a month in Indonesia (Challendar
and Waterman, 2017). Outside the assessed period, between 2016 and June 2017, there have been
at least a further 11 seizures in Sumatra, which reiterates the island’s signicance in this trade
connection. e most recent incident occurred in June 2017, when a Malaysia-bound shipment
of at least 225 pangolins (alive, dead and scales) was seized at the Belawan Port in Medan (Anon.,
2017).
In the international wildlife trade, Malaysia and Singapore have been known to function as gateways
for some key illicit wildlife commodities that are being transported into the greater Southeast Asian
(and eventually East Asian) region (Pantel and Chin, 2009; Shepherd et al., 2012; Milliken et al.,
2013; Milliken et al., 2016). is also seems to be the case in the pangolin trade and is therefore
a priority for law enforcement interventions. In 2015, Singapore intercepted 324 kg of African
pangolin scales, along with 505 kg of ivory from Nigeria that was on its way to Lao PDR (Agri-food
and Veterinary Authority of Singapore and Singapore Customs, 2015). Between May and June 2017,
Malaysia similarly has intercepted close to 1.4 tonnes of African pangolin scales en route to China
(TRAFFIC, 2017).
Java and Kalimantan
Pangolin shipments out of Java were almost always reportedly destined for Hong Kong (n=5
seizures) or Viet Nam (n=1 seizure) and Singapore (n=2) and smuggled by both air and sea.
Additional information from outside the study period, included one incident in August 2016, in
which 657 frozen pangolins were seized from a house in East Java, wrapped in plastic and stored
in ve large freezers. ese pangolins were said to have been sourced from Sumatra and Borneo
(Topseld and Rosa, 2017). It is assumed that, in cases like these, private premises function as
collection centres, with the pangolins being packed and shipped out of the country once these
17
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
locations have reached their storage limits (Sopyan, 2009). Information collected by TRAFFIC over
the years (2015–2017) indicates that collectors from Sijunjung in West Sumatra source pangolins
from a number of locations (such as Bengkulu, Lampung, Aceh and Kalimantan) which are then
sold to clients in Jakarta. According to Takandjandji and Sawitri (2016), hunting of pangolins in
Java, based on interviews with 25 local hunters, are done by communities living around forested
areas, both opportunistically (55%) as well as intentionally (23%) to supplement their income.
Generally, the hunting of pangolins is co-ordinated by the collecting party and local traders.
While fewer seizure records were found for Kalimantan, the trade route between West Kalimantan
and China has been thought to be of key importance in the international pangolin trade (Anon.,
2016). Pangolins are collected throughout the Bornean Island and smuggled via Jakarta or Sarawak,
oen mixed in with large shipments of legal products such as crops of various kinds (Anon., 2016;
Takandjandji and Sawitri, 2016). e remoteness of most areas in Borneo, as well as the extensive
shared border between Kalimantan and Sarawak, provides advantages to smugglers while inhibiting
eective monitoring/control by relevant authorities. Some local communities, such as the Dayak
in Kalimantan, are reportedly involved in the hunting of wild animals (TRAFFIC, unpublished).
While the bulk of such wildlife is used for their own subsistence, high value products like pangolins
are reportedly sold to middlemen. One reported trade route involves poached pangolins being sent
to a warehouse in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, from where they are transported to Entikong, West
Kalimantan and then smuggled into Sarawak, Malaysia. Elsewhere, local people in Sambas were
reportedly aware of a phone number to call if pangolin scales were obtained, though the destination
of the scales were not known beyond that it was believed to serve “an export market” (TRAFFIC, in
prep). In 2016, pangolin collectors were also reported to be operating out of Serimbu in the Landak
district in West Kalimantan, where these pangolins were either consumed in the local villages or
sold for around IDR40 000 (USD3). e involvement of middlemen in Entikong in the Sanggau
district has also been reported, where scales were said to be transported across the border into
Sarawak, concealed amongst crops, and sold to dealers in the border town of Tebedu, which is then
shipped to China. Information on these trade routes operating within Borneo requires further
investigation and verication.
©Hans Breuer
18 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
Intercontinental trade
With Asian pangolin populations dwindling, the intercontinental trade in African pangolins now
appears to be on the rise (Challender and Hywood, 2012; Challender et al., 2016; Gomez et al.,
2016a; TRAFFIC, 2017). In previous studies it was found that both European and Southeast Asian
countries function as transit hubs in the intercontinental pangolin trade (Challender and Hywood,
2012; Gomez et al., 2016a). While most of the seizure records indicate Indonesia as a source
country, the country may also function as a transit hub in the intercontinental pangolin trade.
Only one Indonesian seizure record, concerning a shipment of 200 kg of pangolin scales from
Cameroon, supports this possibility. In previous studies into the intercontinental pangolin trade,
the country has not been indicated as a transit hub (Challender and Hywood, 2012; Gomez et al.,
2016a). e exact extent to which Indonesia should be seen as a re-exporting country of African
pangolin species remains unclear but should be monitored and investigated further, considering
that new trade routes are constantly evolving in the smuggling of illicit wildlife products (Heinrich
et al., 2017). According to Heinrich et al. (2017), on average 27 new and previously undetected
unique trade routes were formed each year in the international pangolin trade between 2010 and
2015. Further, this study identied Indonesia as one of the top 10 countries involved in illegal,
international pangolin trade, based on the number of incidents it was implicated in (frequency), and
regardless of the role it played, either as an origin, transit, or destination.
Impacts of the international pangolin trade
e primary threat to the Asian pangolin species is illegal hunting and poaching for international
trade that is largely driven by demand from East Asian markets; between July 2000 and 2015, at
least 153 434 trade records involving the Sunda and Chinese Pangolins have occurred (CITES,
2017). e precise impact of the international pangolin trade on Indonesian pangolin populations
cannot be determined through seizure analysis alone. e inherent secretive nature of illegal trade
means seizure data are unlikely to represent the full magnitude/scale of the trade and may reect the
variance in enforcement levels. Of the 35 632 pangolins seized between 2010 and 2015, only 2884
involved live animals (the remaining either involving dead specimens and/or parts), but given their
low rate of survival under captive conditions, it is unlikely all these survived captivity or were able to
be released back into the wild.
In a previous study it was found that between 2002 and 2008, 18 seizures were reported for
Indonesia, involving an estimated total of 49 662 pangolins and averaging about 2759 pangolins
per seizure (Semiadi et al., 2009). e current study reports on 111 seizures (more than six times
in comparison), involving an estimated 35 632 pangolins over a similar timespan, averaging about
321 pangolins per seizure. e smaller volume of pangolins per average seizure could, among other
possible scenarios, potentially be an indication of a declining population. e smaller volumes per
seizure may also be explained by the smugglers’ attempts to avoid big losses in case of a seizure by
spreading their valuable contraband over several smaller shipments. However, considering the high
number of seized specimens found in this study (and in previous ones) and the fact that the average
generation span of the Sunda Pangolin is seven years (Challender et al., 2014), populations are likely
to shrink unless immediate countermeasures are put into place. Captive-breeding of pangolins
for commercial trade is not an option as pangolins are not suited to life in captivity considering
their specialized behaviours, diet and high dependence on the natural environment (Hua et al.,
2015). With Chinese Pangolin populations depleted due to the illegal trade, other Asian pangolin
populations, including the Sunda pangolin in Indonesia may likely face a similar fate. e illegal
international Asian pangolin trade is therefore of high and immediate concern.
19
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Illegal international trade is the greatest threat to wild pangolins, which are already thought to
be in severe decline. Indonesia clearly plays a signicant role as a key source of pangolins in the
international trade chain. With continuing high demand in China and Viet Nam, the Sunda
Pangolin in Indonesia is facing certain demise as it is persistently harvested throughout the country
to supply this demand. Despite the existence of sucient wildlife laws to protect this native species,
the illegal poaching of—and trade in—pangolins continues unhindered. However, the relatively
large amount of seizures that have taken place here may also hint at improved enforcement eorts,
particularly with the arrests of key players in the illegal pangolin trade disrupting tracking
networks (a minimum of 127 suspects were identied and/or arrested from the 111 incidents).
Nevertheless, these eorts may be undermined by corruption and insucient conviction rates (with
convictions oen involving low nes (maximum of IDR100 million (USD7500)). Urgent measures
are needed in order to put a halt to the rampant pangolin trade from Indonesia. e IUCN Species
Survival Commission (SSC) Pangolin Specialist Group, IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership
(ASAP), and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) recently organized the Sunda Pangolin Regional
Conservation Planning Workshop, 28–30 June 2017 in Singapore, to develop a more detailed,
regional conservation strategy for the Sunda Pangolin that would guide investment in pangolin
conservation and catalyse support for implementation of such strategies. Based on some of the key
outcomes from the workshop discussions, it was revealed that saving pangolins from extinction will
require engaging local communities in their conservation and addressing the demand for pangolin
products, as well as strengthening domestic legislation and policy to combat the illegal wildlife
trade. In light of this, TRAFFIC recommends the following:
Law enforcement
• Law enforcement capacity should be enhanced to improve proactive investigation into the
international pangolin trade. Multi-agency collaboration, both at a local (provincial), national
and international level, should be established and/or intensied to tackle the international
and organized criminal networks involved in smuggling pangolins across Indonesia’s borders.
Knowledge and capacity of law enforcers should be enhanced, especially at important
international wildlife trade hubs at land, sea and airports. Eorts to monitor and investigate
this problem should be enhanced and increased at the hotspots identied by this study,
particularly within Sumatra and Kalimantan as source hotspots as well as the trade hotspots in
Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra.
©TRAFFIC
20 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
• Better co-operation and co-ordination between enforcement agencies, including Customs
and police, is needed on the national and international levels. On an international level, such
co-operation, especially between Indonesia and Malaysia, will be crucial in order to increase
detection rates, disrupt the movement of pangolin shipments across international boundaries
and dismantle organized wildlife crime syndicates. ese are perhaps most needed to tackle
tracking between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, as well as within Borneo, particularly
between Kalimantan and Sarawak.
• Prosecutors and the judiciary should be made aware of the legal and environmental
consequences of the illicit pangolin trade as part of a wider eort in prioritizing attention to
wildlife crime. is is expected to contribute to increased and more successful prosecution
rates and penalties for pangolin and other wildlife tracking.
• To support global pangolin conservation eorts, Indonesia’s revision of its wildlife legislation
should list all eight pangolin species at the highest protection level. is will enable the country
eectively to comply with CITES and ban all international pangolin trade.
Monitoring
• Conservation organizations and research institutions should continue monitoring and reporting
the tracking of pangolins in and out of Indonesia. is will aid in the eort to understand
better and gauge levels of illegal trade and detect emerging trends (e.g. Indonesia’s potential
involvement as a transit country in the intercontinental trade of pangolins). is will help guide
and shape enforcement interventions, conservation actions, decision making, and policies to
overcome smuggling.
• Reporting to CITES by Indonesia, in adherence to the new annual illegal trade reporting
requirements of CITES Notication 007 that was issued in February 2016, will complement
global eorts to monitor and tackle the illegal international pangolin trade. e CITES
Notication calls for reporting to the CITES Secretariat, which involves a comprehensive
account of actions and outcomes of seizure and prosecution information. is level of reporting
is needed to improve analysis of the country’s pangolin trade level and trends, which would feed
towards improved law enforcement eorts.
Further research
• In Indonesia, a Sunda Pangolin population status overview is needed in order to establish
national conservation threat levels and guide enforcement and prosecution reforms.
• Research into pangolin trade drivers and potential substitutes for pangolin products is needed
not only in major destinations such as China and Viet Nam, but across the Southeast Asian
region, where local consumption of pangolin products still occurs, albeit on a smaller scale.
Such research will help us to understand trade dynamics better and would form the basis for
future awareness-raising eorts.
Behaviour change
• By inducing behaviour change in consumption countries, the demand for pangolin products
can be decreased. Best practice approaches to social behaviour change communications need to
be explored and pursued. Such communications should include awareness raising campaigns
and consumer education. Further behaviour change can be brought about by enhanced law
enforcement eorts.
• In addition to behaviour change among consumers, there should be similar eorts to inuence
local communities and hunters involved in poaching and trading of pangolins. is may be
achieved by educating them on the illegality of the trade and the importance of protecting
pangolins.
21
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
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í
24 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
ANNEX 1: SEIZURE RECORDS INVOLVING INDONESIA BETWEEN
2010 AND 2015
No. Date Year Seizure
Location Origin of
Shipment Destination
of shipment Item Seized Quantity Source
1 19-Feb 2010 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Mala ysia live 35 Media
2 XQNQRZQ 2010 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia individuals 92 Media
3 2-Mar 2010 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 15 ASEAN-WEN
4 16-Dec 2010 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia individuals 153 Media
5 1-Jun 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Singapore live 60 Media
6 20-Apr 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 106 Media
7 22-Jul 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 8 Media
8 27-Oct 2010 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia individual 23 TRAFFIC
9 12-May 2010 Viet Nam Indonesia Vietnam scales x ASEAN -WEN
10 3-Sep 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - individuals 1 TRAFFIC
11 September 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 34 ASEAN-WEN
12 25-Jan 2010 USA Indonesia USA medicinals 1 LEMIS
13 XQNQRZQ 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 1 CITES MA
Indonesia
14 XQNQRZQ 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - individuals 1795 CITES MA
Indonesia
15 XQNQRZQ 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 6 CITES MA
Indonesia
16 15-Sep 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 39 CITES MA
Indonesia
17 3-Sep 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 25 CITES MA
Indonesia
18 Apil 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 30 NGO
19 28-Sep 2010 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - scales NJ ASEAN-WEN
20 24-Jan 2011 Viet Nam Indonesia Viet Nam,
via
Singapore
meat NJ TRAFFIC
21 2-Aug 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - body x
(hundreds
of frozen
pangolin)
Media
22 July 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - individuals 16 TRAFFIC
23 9-Jul 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Singapore meat/ scales 1732 NJ
380 NJ Media
24 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Viet Nam individuals` 1700 TRAFFIC
25 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Viet Nam meat/ scales 5929.25 Ng /
790 NJ TRAFFIC
26 15-Feb 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 6 CITES MA
Indonesia
25
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
27 8-Mar 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals/
meat 12/x CITES MA
Indonesia
28 30-Jan 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - individuals 3 CITES MA
Indonesia
29 XQNQRZQ 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 3 CITES MA
Indonesia
30 XQNQRZQ 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - individuals/
meat 12/ 3
SDFNV CITES MA
Indonesia
31 XQNQRZQ 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individual 1 CITES MA
Indonesia
32 28-Sep 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia individuals 111 TRAFFIC
33 23-May 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Vietnam meat/ scales 7453.08/
64.6 NJ Media
34 XQNQRZQ 2011 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - scales/ live NJ CITES MA
Indonesia
35 21-Feb 2012 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 67 Media
36 24-Apr 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 3 TRAFFIC
37 28-Jan 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 1 TRAFFIC
38 1-Dec 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 24 ASEAN-WEN
39 19-Jul 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live/ scales VDFN ASEAN -WEN
40 28-Jul 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Hong Kong,
China, via
Malaysia
live/body 68/17 Media
41 August 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - dead/ meat/
scales 14/ 5 NJ
NJ Media
42 May 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - meat/ scales 4124.12 NJ
31.36 NJ Media
43 1-Oct 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 3 Media
44 1-Dec 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Hong Kong,
China individual 288 Media
45 6-Dec 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Hong Kong,
China live 72 Media
46 26-Jun 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 35 Media
47 28-May 2012 Malaysia Indonesia Malaysia live 26 Media
48 11-Jan 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individual 8 CITES MA
Indonesia
49 3-Nov 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - individuals 24 CITES MA
Indonesia
50 XQNQRZQ 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 78 CITES MA
Indonesia
51 XQNQRZQ 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 24 CITES MA
Indonesia
52 XQNQRZQ 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - individuals 102 CITES MA
Indonesia
53 November 2012 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - dead/scales 8500 NJ
/350 NJ TRAFFIC
54 4-Jan 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - VNLQV 189 Media
55 18-Sep 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - individual 1 Media
56 1-Dec 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - scales/ dead/
body parts/ 4.3 NJ6/
5.12 NJ
2.73 NJ
Media
scales
(fresh)
26 TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
57 8-Apr 2013 Philippines Indonesia? Philippines dead 10 000 NJ Media
58 1-Aug 2013 Viet Nam Indonesia Vietnam live 6200 NJ Media
59 21-Aug 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 33 Media
60 23-Feb 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live/ dead 127/ 1 Media
61 18-Jan 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 100 TRAFFIC
62 25-Apr 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - scales 27.3 NJ Media
63 20-Sep 2013 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live 70 Media
64 29-Jul 2013 Malaysia Indonesia Thailand live 15 Media
65 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - Individuals/l
ive 18/13 CITES MA
Indonesia
66 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 31 CITES MA
Indonesia
67 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - individuals 4 CITES MA
Indonesia
68 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 4 CITES MA
Indonesia
69 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 16 CITES MA
Indonesia
70 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 90 CITES MA
Indonesia
71 9-Oct 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - individual 29 Media
72 December 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 5 Media
73 23-Oct 2013 China Indonesia China dead/ scales 2041/
1540 NJ Media
74 May 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 26 Media
75 XQNQRZQ 2013 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - scales 146 pieces CITES MA
Indonesia
76 13-Sep 2014 Malaysia Indonesia
(Sumatra) China,
Vietnam,
via
Malaysia,
Thailand,
Lao PDR
live/ scales 100/
150 NJ Media
77 23-Jan 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 1 Media
78 10-Mar 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - scales 73 NJ Media
79 21-May 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - Live/Body 39/7 Media
80 January 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) Mainland
China and
Taiwa n
(through
East Java)
individual 90 Media
81 4-Jan 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Kalimantan) - dead 86 Media
82 18-Feb 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 15 Media
27
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
83 24-Feb 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 1 Media
84 3-Mar 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live/ dead 5/ 3 Media
85 4-Apr 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals 5 Media
86 1-May 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live/ dead/
scales 4/ 5/ 6 NJ Media
87 13-May 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individual 1 Media
88 21-Oct 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 1 Media
89 27-Oct 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 1 Media
90 26-May 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individual 35 Media
91 2-Jun 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 21 Media
92 31-Oct 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - scales 300 NJ Media
93 November 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - scales 300 NJ TRAFFIC
94 16-Dec 2014 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - Live 1 TRAFFIC
95 30-Oct 2015 Lao PDR Indonesia
(Sumatra) China, via
Malaysia,
Thailand,
Lao PDR
live 81 Media
96 XQNQRZQ 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individual/
scales 3/ 1.5 NJ Media
97 23-Apr 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) China,
Malaysia,
Russia
body/ live/
scales 5000 NJ
96/77 NJ Media
98 24-Nov 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - dead/ scales 27/ 65 NJ Media
99 November 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) Malaysia live/ dead 82/ 9 Media
100 January 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Hong Kong,
China scales 263.78 NJ Media
101 6-Apr 2015 Malaysia Indonesia Malaysia live 34 Media
102 13-Jan 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Hong Kong,
China scales 188 NJ Media
103 25-Jan 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) Hong Kong,
China scales 17 NJ Media
104 26-Jan 2015 Indonesia Cameroon Indonesia scales 200 NJ Media
105 6-May 2015 Hong Kong Indonesia Hong Kong,
China scales 129 NJ Media
106 8-Jul 2015 Indonesia Indonesia Singapore dead 455 Media
107 30-Jul 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Java) - body parts x TRAFFIC
108 12-Aug 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - live 3 Media
109 January 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - scales 10 NJ Media
110 29-May 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(Sumatra) - individuals/
scales 7/ 1 NJ Media
111 30-Dec 2015 Indonesia Indonesia
(K li t )
- dead 66 NJ Media
28
TRAFFIC Report: Scaly Nexus: Mapping Indonesian pangolin seizures (2010–2015)
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