Pangolins: outwitting the traffickers
They look like a cross between an armadillo and an anteater – and usually, they're nocturnal. But these shy animals are facing extinction as gangs are hunting them for profit.
The leaders of a global wildlife trafficking gang have been convicted after a four-year investigation and a trial in Nigeria. They pleaded guilty earlier this month to smuggling the scales of African pangolins, which are shy and usually nocturnal mammals that conservationists say are being hunted to extinction. The traffickers were responsible for half of the illegal trade in the animal's scales, which are hugely popular for their use in traditional medicines in parts of Asia. In this episode of our 5 Minutes On podcast, Â鶹Éç investigative reporter Steve Swann talks to one of the people who went undercover to bring down the criminal network. (Photo: Getty Images)
