India, Feb. 21 -- A CITES report reveals over 500,000 pangolins were seized globally from 2016 to 2024.

China and Vietnam emerged as major destinations, and African countries as primary sources.

There is a need for better enforcement and species identification to combat trafficking.

Over half a million pangolins were illegal trade seizures in just eight years, a new global report has noted.

The new CITES report, Conservation Status, Trade and Enforcement Efforts for Pangolins revealed that between 2016 and 2024, pangolin sales accounted for nearly 99 per cent of all confiscated parts.

The report also throws light on new data and information on the scale and trafficking routes enabling the trade. It noted that overexploitation for ill...