1 July 2020

China

The NFGA has issued a new notice on “strengthening the protection and
management of pangolins” following the species is uplisted to first-class
state protection. However, it is worth noting that the legal trade of
pangolin is still maintained under the strengthened measures, therefore the
demand on medicinal use, which has driven the trafficking of pangolins,
persists. The notice includes:

1. Increase the sense of urgency for pangolin protection.
2. Implement habitat protection based on the findings of an ongoing
population survey regarding the wild population of pangolins in China.
Patrolling will be increased to ensure poachers or habitat destructors will
be severely punished. Any special request on collecting pangolins for
scientific research requires approvals from the provincial forestry
department.
3. Strengthen enforcement. There will be stronger coordination between
departments, such as police, market regulators, internet regulators,
transportation surveillance and customs, to…