The pangolin is considered to be the most trafficked animal in the world, the scale covered mammal is found mainly in Asia and Africa. Known for eating ants and termites, some believe that its keratin scales can even cure cancer.

There are eight species of pangolins in the world, considered extremely valuable for their scales and meat as stated on newsy. Poaching has threatened all the eight species of this mammal leaving it from vulnerable to critically endangered. Around 100,000 pangolin's are being poached annually, and it takes one female pangolin to reproduce only once in a year.

According to Abc2news, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna is gathering is South Africa this week to discuss this critical issue. Their only purpose is to consider a ban on commercial and international trade on all pangolin species.

The shy mammal is supplied to China and Vietnam, where it is used as an ingredient for traditional medicine purposes. It is believed that in Chinese traditional medicine pangolin scales are ground into powder to cure condition from headache, lack of virility and nose bleeding. The danger for the species does not end here due to some parts of African culture people believe if a pangolin scale is kept in their pocket they are safe from evil.

They are widely trafficked in Africa for their fat, blood and even bones. With every part of the pangolin being valuable, their scales are used for making guitar plectrums. In South Africa alone a pangolin can sell anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000.

Various countries have taken a step forward to protect these endangered species including the Philippines, India and America. With numbers reducing drastically in the wild these species could be lost forever. We could only hope that the pangolin does not end up in history books like the Tasmanian tiger.