A universal tagging system for pangolins, world’s most trafficked mammal

Pangolins have the dubious distinction of being the most trafficked mammals in the world. Yet as often as they wind up in wildlife seizures, authorities and conservationists have no universal way to track and identify individual pangolins.

But researchers are working to change this. In a recently published study, they proposed what they call the Pangolin Universal Notching System (PUNS), a standardized way to assign unique identification numbers to up to 15,554 individuals. 

PUNS combines existing marking techniques used for turtles and hoofed mammals. This minimally invasive method involves gently drilling holes in a selected number of a pangolin’s scales along the back for permanent identification.

“Stress during notching is negligible, and the marks themselves don’t jeopardize the pangolins’ health in any way, nor make them more susceptible to poachers or predators,” lead researcher Jeannie Miller Martin, a biology professor at Miami University of Ohio, U.S., told Mongabay by email.

The system addresses the lack of a unified approach to tracking pangolins, as different programs use varying methods. Researchers say this inconsistency makes it harder to share data, compare findings, and trace pangolins intercepted in trafficking. 

“The biggest downside of not having a standardized marking system is difficulty in communication between projects, and between projects and law enforcement/community groups,” Martin said.

How the universal notching system works

Researchers in 15 countries across Africa and Asia where pangolins occur are already using battery-powered tracking devices to track pangolins. However, these devices can be unreliable in bad weather, and locating tagged pangolins is labor-intensive, particularly when they move beyond the study area, onto private property, or burrow deeper underground.

The notching system fills this gap by offering a complementary, low-tech identification method to enhance long-term monitoring. “PUNS is meant to work complimentary to more remote sensing options, not in lieu of them,” Martin said. Notching provides a durable method that remains effective even when tracking devices fail, are lost, or run out of battery.

Notching systems are already used for several pangolin species, including the Sunda (Manis javanica), black-bellied (Phataginus tetradactyla), white-bellied (Phataginus tricuspis) and Temminck’s pangolins (Smutsia temminckii), the study noted. But Olajumoke Morenikeji, West Africa regional chair of the Pangolin Specialist Group at the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, said “the current marking systems for pangolins are unstructured and lack global standardization.” This, she said, creates “significant obstacles for collaborative efforts to monitor and protect pangolins.”

Morenikeji, who wasn’t involved in the study, said programs rely on varied methods like microchipping, tagging and photo IDs, often developed in isolation for specific projects or regions. “While these methods may work individually, their inconsistent application makes data sharing and cross-border tracking challenging,” Morenikeji told Mongabay by email. 

Researchers say this highlights the need to streamline efforts across all eight pangolin species and consolidate the information into a centralized database accessible to researchers. “Assuming a centralized database is in place, if one system is being utilized then everyone is able to speak the same language so to speak and when an animal is recovered they can readily identify that animal, and know where the animal was notched, when it was notched, and by whom,” Martin said. 

Additional natural history information, such as ageing, reproduction, survivorship and migration, added into the database would help researchers understand each individual pangolin and its species. After rehabilitation, such as following rescue from traffickers, the pangolin’s origin could help determine the ideal release site, she added.

Improved pangolin traceability could help “disrupt trafficking networks by identifying hotspots and uncovering supply chains,” Morenikeji said, adding that both researchers and law enforcers could benefit from the PUNS.

“The system would provide a reliable tool to verify pangolin origins, reducing fraudulent claims and aiding in the prosecution of traffickers. Quick cross-referencing of data would streamline border checks and ensure better compliance with international treaties like CITES,” she added.

Limitations, next steps for wider adoption

Martin and her team say PUNS is simple, accessible for resource-limited practitioners, and adaptable to various program needs, with its design based on input from the pangolin community. “We listened to what they were doing, and created a uniform methodology that could be implemented easily,” Martin said.  

Programs can assign unique code subsets by region or project to track pangolins’ origins. Code management could be done at local, national, or international levels, the researchers note.

 The notching system, however, has limitations, although Martin said these are negligible. For instance, lost or damaged scales can leave partial codes, reducing identification accuracy. Region- or project-specific codes may be hard to interpret if animals are recovered elsewhere, though trained personnel can trace them. Additionally, codes are challenging to read from a distance, when obscured, or if debris fills the holes, making in-hand inspection necessary.

Martin said her team has collaborated with the IUCN’s Pangolin Specialist Group, urging members to help create and maintain a centralized database for data-sharing, similar to existing tracking programs for sea turtles, monarch butterflies and racehorses.

“Given the distribution of pangolins across multiple countries, their status as the most trafficked mammal and the fact that a live trafficked animal could be intercepted and rehabilitated far from where it was originally marked, the ability to share data in this way will be instrumental for conservation,” the researchers wrote in the study.

But adopting the PUNS internationally may not be easy. Morenikeji pointed out technical and financial constraints, including significant investment in technology, training and infrastructure, especially in resource-limited pangolin regions. She also highlighted potential obstacles in coordinating stakeholders, addressing cultural and ethical concerns about marking methods, integrating the system with existing conservation efforts, and harmonizing legal frameworks for global acceptance and compliance.

“Despite these challenges, the potential of a universal marking system to transform pangolin conservation and combat wildlife trafficking is immense,”  Morenikeji said.

Banner image: The Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), the only pangolin species in southern Africa, dry and arid savannah and desert environments. Image courtesy of Keith Connelly

Citation:

Martin, J. M., Buckley, J. Y., Connelly, E., Hywood, L., Lacey, L. M., Ruden, R. M., … Wearn, A. (2024). The Pangolin Universal Notching System: A scale-marking methodology for pangolins. Oryx, 1–7. doi:10.1017/S0030605324000656

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