By Godfrey Olukya 8-5-2017.
After more than 700 kilograms of scales from the endangered pangolin, shipped from Ghana and the DRC reportedly bound for China being seized by Malaysian authorities today at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, conservationists in Africa have appealed to China to stop importation of endangered animals and their pats.
” Endangered animals are killed and their parts are taken to mostly China.The rate at which the endangered animals are being killed may lead to their extinction” said Ambrose Kigeyi, the secretary of Katanga conservation association.
His counterpart in Kenya, Steven Njoroge said that unless China joins other countries to to help in conserving endangered animals, efforts to conserve will come to nothing .
Customs officials in Malaysia reportedly the haul was worth US$2 million.
Eighteen sacks contained 712 kilos of scales. It is estimated that about 1,500 pangolin would have been slaughtered to collect the scales seized.
Reports released recently indicated that most of the elephants’ tusks from Africa are taken and sold in China. Elephants are among the endangered animals.It is also said that horns of rhinos sell like hot cakes in China and Asia.
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