Pangolin farming is illegal; pangolins are Class I nationally protected animals

The pangolin is a mammal that feeds mainly on ants and termites, with its whole body covered in scales. It is good at digging burrows and is mainly distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. They are gentle and timid by nature, and play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling termite numbers, and are known as the guardians of the forest.

It must be specially noted that pangolin farming is not open to the public. In China, pangolins are listed as Class I nationally protected wild animals, and catching, buying, selling, keeping and using pangolins and their products without authorisation are all illegal acts. The so-called pangolin farming techniques or breeding-stock sale information circulating online is mostly untrustworthy; do not readily believe it or take part, so as to avoid breaking the law.

From a keeping perspective, the pangolin has extremely specialised feeding habits, eating only live ants and the like, and it is very hard to meet its nutritional needs in an artificial environment. Together with its strong stress reactions and the demanding rescue conditions, artificial breeding is extremely difficult. At present, the relevant work is mainly carried out by professional rescue institutions and research units under strict approval, and ordinary farmers and individuals cannot take part.

If you encounter a pangolin in the wild, or find that someone is illegally hunting or trading pangolins, you should promptly report it to the forestry authorities or the public security organs, rather than trying to take it in and keep it yourself. Protecting pangolins, and refusing to eat or buy their products, is what each person can truly do and ought to do.