Nothing prepared Paul for what he saw, or smelled. Some 4,000 defrosting pangolins hidden in a shipping container behind a façade of frozen fish. This was one of the largest seizures of the animals on record. ‘Wildlife crime is big business,’ says Paul. ‘It will stop only when the demand stops.’
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animal, with all eight species targeted. Pangolin meat is eaten to demonstrate status and their scales are wrongly believed to treat a variety of ailments. These dead pangolins pictured were probably destined for China and Vietnam for the exotic meat trade or for use in traditional medicine.
UK/Australia
Paul is a photojournalist and wildlife trade consultant who focuses on global environmental and conservation issues. He endeavours to bring about urgent change in how we treat our surroundings. Widely published in leading international media, he is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers and has received many awards for his conservation photography.
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