Pangolins are among the most heavily trafficked mammals in the world. They are hunted primarily for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine, and for their meat, sold as bushmeat. Although all eight pangolin species are protected and international trade in them is prohibited, illegal trafficking continues on a large scale and remains one of the greatest threats to their survival.
An important step forward in combating this trade comes from a new international study published in the prestigious journal PLOS Biology, to which Mgr. Barbora Černá Bolfíková, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Wildlife and Animal Sciences at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU Prague), contributed.
The international research team analysed DNA from more than 700 pangolin samples collected from museum collections, field sites, bushmeat markets, and international law enforcement seizures. Rather than relying on conventional genetic methods, which typically identify only species or broad population groups, the researchers applied an advanced genomic approach known as gene capture, which selectively targets specific regions of the genome.
This technique makes it possible to obtain high-quality genetic data even from highly degraded samples, including older museum specimens and confiscated pangolin scales. Using these data, the researchers created the most comprehensive genomic reference database for pangolins to date, enabling DNA from seized specimens to be matched with genetic profiles from individuals of known geographic origin.
This makes it possible to identify the likely source region of trafficked material—sometimes within tens of kilometres, and in exceptional cases even within just a few kilometres. Such information provides conservationists and law enforcement authorities with a powerful new tool for investigating and combating the illegal wildlife trade.
The study also revealed that domestic bushmeat markets and the international trade in pangolin scales are not necessarily separate systems. Instead, they may exploit the same source populations, suggesting that some wild pangolin populations are under even greater pressure from poaching than previously recognised. The researchers identified major trafficking hotspots in regions including southwestern Cameroon, Myanmar, and other parts of Africa and Asia.
Beyond advancing the field of population genomics, the study provides a practical forensic tool for tracing illegal wildlife trade, identifying trafficking routes, and supporting the protection of endangered species. The same approach could be applied to many other wildlife species threatened by illegal trade. To become a routine component of wildlife forensic investigations, however, further expansion of genomic reference databases, standardised sampling protocols, and closer collaboration among researchers, conservation organisations, and law enforcement agencies will be essential.
The publication has attracted considerable international attention, with the findings featured by numerous science and conservation media outlets worldwide. The study demonstrates how modern genomic technologies can contribute not only to a better understanding of the evolution and genetic diversity of endangered species but also to their effective conservation.
Publication
PLOS Biology (2026): Resolving the Geographic Origins of Trafficked Pangolins Using Target Capture Genomics : https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003762
