2 women arrested with dead pangolin in Polokwane
A community’s vigilance led to the arrest of two women who were allegedly trying to sell a dead endangered animal.
Two female foreign nationals were arrested in Greenside in Polokwane while allegedly attempting to sell a dead pangolin for over R100 000.
The women, aged 37 and 44, appeared before the Seshego Magistrate’s Court yesterday, on charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
They were arrested on Friday during a sting operation following a tip-off from the Greenside community, near Seshego.
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba says the duo allegedly tried to sell the endangered animal for R125 000.
“The community provided crucial information to the police, alerting them to the illegal activity.
“The police acted on the tip-off and members of the visible policing [unit], joined by environmental affairs [officials], conducted a sting operation and arrested the suspects.”
Ledwaba says the dead animal was recovered and police are investigating.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, there are eight pangolin species, found on two continents. They are protected under national and international laws, and two are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
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