World Pangolin Day is observed on the third Saturday in February and takes place on February 17 this year. The day aims to celebrate pangolins, raise awareness and recommit international N.G.O.s to fight against the global capturing of pangolins in Africa and Asia.
An estimated one million of these animals have been, and continue to be, harvested from the wild in African and Asian countries to meet the high demands for their scale, skin, blood and even fetuses that are believed to have several different uses both in fashion, traditional medicine, and cooking.
Four species live in Africa: Black-belled pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) and Temminck's Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii).
The four species found in Asia: Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis), Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).
All eight pangolin species are protected under national and international laws, and two are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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