Alleged pangolin dealers in North West given R500 bail    

Two men arrested for allegedly trying to sell a pangolin have been released on R500 bail.

The accused were apprehended on Wednesday, 23 October, after police received a tip-off about men trying to sell a rare animal.

The pair are facing charges of dealing in endangered species as per the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.

R500 bail

The tip-off was registered with police on 12 October, with the Mahikeng branch of the Hawks’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit conducting the operation earlier this week.

Officers tracked 22-year-old Odireleng Makutle and 38-year-old Mpho Lebese to the Maiyaiyane area in the North West.

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They had reportedly been looking for a buyer for their pangolin and upon conducting the transaction were arrested by police.

“They appeared in court on 24 October and were each granted R500 bail. Their matter was postponed to 04 December 2024 for further investigation,” confirmed North West police spokesperson Warrant Officer Amogelang Malwetse

Why are pangolins traded?

Another pangolin was recently rescued by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Sandton, Gauteng. The animal was found in an unoccupied car in Morningside, reported the Sandton Chronicle.

Pangolins are sold on the black market for their use in traditional medicines. They are also seen as a delicacy in Asian countries and their scales can be used as fashion accessories and jewellery.

There are several sub-species of pangolin but most are burrowers who live in holes in the ground. However, one sub-species is known to live in trees.

Although pangolins have no teeth, they are related to carnivores. They eat termites and ants using their long, slender tongue to lap them up.

According to the African Pangolin Working Group, Pangolin trading cases peaked between 2018 and 2020, but have since seen a drop after improved awareness and law enforcement.

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