Members of the Upington Highway patrol arrested a male suspect in connection with the possession of an Endangered Species on January 14.
Police were given information about the suspect and sprung to action. The suspect was found at a hiking spot in Upington, hitchhiking to Olifantshoek. He was searched, and 2,5 kg of pangolin skin was found in his luggage.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Upington Magistrates Court soon, and police will continue to investigate.
In South Africa, pangolins remain under threat from poachers who sell their body parts on the black market, while other countries in Africa kill them for food.
Apart from illegal local and international trade, pangolins are also threatened by habitat loss through construction, mining and some agricultural practices.
Conservation groups like the African Pangolin Working Group work tirelessly to combat poaching and protect these animals.
To find out more or get involved, visit their website.
Picture: SAPS
