Categories: environmentWorld News

China Removes Pangolin, World’s Most Trafficked Animal, From Traditional Medicine List

FILES) In this file photo taken on June 30, 2017, a juvenile Sunda pangolin feeds on termites at the Singapore Zoo. The endangered pangolin may be the link that facilitated the spread of the novel coronavirus across China, Chinese scientists said on February 7, 2020.  ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP

 

China has removed pangolin parts from its official list of traditional medicines, state media reported Tuesday, days after increasing legal protections on the endangered animal.

Pangolins were left out of the official Chinese Pharmacopoeia this year, along with substances including a pill formulated with bat faeces, the state-owned Health Times reported.

The pangolin, the world’s most heavily trafficked mammal, is thought by some scientists to be the possible host of the novel coronavirus that emerged at a market in China’s Wuhan city last year.

Its body parts fetch a high price on the black market as they are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, although scientists say they have no therapeutic value.

China’s forestry authority on Friday gave pangolins the highest level of protection in the country due to its threatened status.

“Depleted wild resources” are being withdrawn from the Pharmacopoeia, Health Times reported, although the exact reason for the removal of pangolins was unclear.

China has in recent months banned the sale of wild animals for food, citing the risk of diseases spreading to humans, but the trade remains legal for other purposes — including research and traditional medicine.

The World Wide Fund for Nature on Saturday said it “strongly welcomed” China’s move to upgrade protections for the pangolin, calling it an “important respite” from the illegal pangolin trade.

Solomon Elusoji

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Solomon Elusoji

Recent Posts

‘I’ll Be Back Stronger,’ Says Amusan After 100m World Title Defeat

Amusan hopes to get her "medal" back next year.

54 mins ago

Man City Swoop For Belgian Winger Doku

Doku, 21, will reportedly cost the European champions £55 million ($70 million).

2 hours ago

Tribunal Sacks Lagos LP Rep Sowunmi, Declares APC’s Ogunyemi Winner

The tribunal agreed with the petitioner that the candidate of the Labour Party was not…

2 hours ago

Jamaica’s Williams Beats Amusan To Women’s 100m Hurdles World Title

Amusan and 2019 winner Nia Ali were never in the hunt, finishing sixth and last…

3 hours ago

NNPP Suspends Founding Member Aniebonam, Publicity Secretary Agbo

The party said the suspension of the duo was with immediate effect pending the outcome…

3 hours ago

Maduka Okoye Joins Udinese From Watford

The club made the announcement on its website on Thursday, describing Okoye as a goalkeeper…

3 hours ago