Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube | Zim GBC News
BULAWAYO – In an unusual but serious conservation alert, wildlife authorities and satirical commentators alike are sending a clear message to the public: if you come across a pangolin, the best course of action is to admire it from a distance and walk away.
This advice comes amid ongoing efforts to protect the highly endangered animal, which has earned a quirky but serious reputation in conservation circles.
Jokingly referred to by some as a “fully paid government secret service” agent, the pangolin is perhaps the most monitored creature in the African bush.
“The moment you pick up a pangolin, consider your phone tapped,” a wildlife ranger quipped, on condition of anonymity.
“It seems to come equipped with an internal communication system directly connected to the police base. You cannot have a pangolin and succeed in selling it. The best advice is to run away when you come across one. Don’t look back, or else free government accommodation and beans will be your new reality.”
Behind the humour, however, lies a critical message about the grave reality facing the world’s most trafficked mammal.
A Protected Species on the Brink
Pangolins, often called scaly anteaters, are unique creatures covered in hard, keratin scales. They are completely protected under national laws in many African countries, including Zimbabwe, and by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which bans all international commercial trade.
Despite this, they are relentlessly hunted for their scales, falsely believed to have medicinal properties in some Asian markets, and for their meat.
“Pangolins are a treasure of our natural heritage, not a commodity,” said Dr. Tendai Muposhi (not real name), a local conservation biologist.
“Their populations are crashing due to poaching and trafficking. The legal consequences for being caught with a pangolin are severe, involving lengthy mandatory prison sentences. The joke about ‘free government beans’ is a lighthearted way of saying you will face the full force of the law.”
The message from authorities is unequivocal: if you see a pangolin in the wild, do not attempt to capture or handle it. Instead, immediately report its location to the nearest national parks or police office. This allows conservationists to monitor or safely relocate the animal, giving it a fighting chance at survival.
So, if you value your freedom and the future of one of the planet’s most unique animals, remember: love peace, and leave the pangolin alone.
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