The Trump administration is proposing to give pangolins Endangered Species Act protections.
The scaly mammals come from Asia and Africa, not the U.S., so the protections would be related to importing them from abroad and preventing people under U.S. jurisdiction from harming them where they are.
In a press release, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that pangolins are threatened by poaching, smuggling and illegal trade. It also said that proceeds from sales of these animals can be used to “fund serious crimes, including drug and arms trafficking.”
“It is a critical conservation concern with significant impacts on the interests of the United States and its partners,” the agency said.
The listing was met with cheers from environmental advocates, who say pangolins are close to going extinct.
“I’m delighted the United States is doing its part to save these adorably odd creatures,” said Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a written statement.
“Pangolins are on the razor’s edge of extinction, and we need to completely shut down any U.S. market for their scales,” Uhlemann added.
The proposal comes as the administration is seeking to loosen protections overall under the Endangered Species Act, particularly with respect to restrictions on damage to habitats.
