World Pangolin Day: Bush Meat Sellers Pledge to Protect Pangolins, Halt Illegal Trade
Bush meat sellers at Atwemonom, a well-known market center for bush meat sales in Kumasi, have pledged their commitment to supporting the government and stakeholders in stopping the illegal trade and exploitation of pangolins, a critically endangered species.
The traders, after learning about the vital role pangolins play in ecosystem conservation, have resolved to cease all forms of trade involving the animal, which is considered a local delicacy among bush meat lovers in Kumasi. They emphasized the need to allow pangolins to thrive and multiply to sustain the conservation chain.
Madam Comfort Badu, Queen Mother of Atwemonom Bush Meat Sellers, stated that the traders would engage with hunters to discourage them from capturing pangolins for sale.
“We will talk to our hunters not to kill or bring the meat of pangolins to us again. It is serious to protect them, and again, the government has laws guiding the trading, poaching, and handling of pangolins. Any hunter who does not heed our advice and gets caught by the law does so at his own risk,” she said.
Madam Badu made these remarks during discussions at the 2025 World Pangolin Day event, organized by the Institute of Nature and Environmental Conservation (INEC) Ghana, in Kumasi. The event brought together students from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Toase Senior High School, as well as officers from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, customs officials, and bush meat traders from Atwemonom.
She further assured that market women would thoroughly inspect the meat supplied by hunters before making any purchases.
Mr. David Kwarteng, Executive Director of INEC Ghana, praised the market women for their commitment to fighting pangolin poaching and illegal trade. He reiterated that pangolins are among the most trafficked animals globally, and in Ghana, they face significant threats due to illegal hunting and trade.
“What is more concerning is the lack of data on how many pangolins are taken from the wild each year. It is heartwarming to hear our market women assuring us that they will report, confiscate, and educate hunters on the need to stop harvesting pangolins. Their feedback has been refreshing. We also expect law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce the laws on pangolin trade and for the justice system to impose appropriate sentences on offenders,” he noted.
Dr. Meyir Zeikah, Manager of the Kumasi Zoological Gardens, urged the public to bring rescued animals, including pangolins, to the zoo for treatment and rehabilitation. He emphasized that all eight pangolin species worldwide are protected under national and international laws, with two listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The commitment from bush meat traders is seen as a significant step toward curbing illegal pangolin trade and ensuring the protection of this endangered species in Ghana.
