Elephants and rhinos often get the limelight when it comes to wildlife conservation. Little is known about pangoli.n which is the most heavily trafficked mammal in the world.

Elephants and rhinos clearly have the most supporters when it comes to wildlife conservation. Several celebrities like Prince William and Chinese actress Li Bingbing have lent their voices to the campaign to end the ivory trade. However, there's another animal that badly needs media coverage in order to be saved.

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The pangolin has been in danger of vanishing off the face of the earth even before we have the chance to learn about this animal. Pangolins are scaly anteaters that basically look like an artichoke with legs and tails. Because of their scales, pangolins have become the most poached mammal in the world - not elephants or rhinos.

China seems to have a high demand for the scales, according to HKFP. The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department values a kilo of scales at HK$5,000 (US$640). The scales are believed to have medicinal properties in China. They are allegedly cooked together with some other ingredients such as a boy's urine to cure diseases ranging from deafness to malaria fever, according to the journal Nature.

The scales have not been proven to have any therapeutic claims as it is composed of keratin which can also be found in our hairs and nails.

Pangolins are also an exotic ingredient in many Vietnamese cuisines. It is not uncommon to see pangolin as part of the menu in the country. But they are usually priced expensively at around US$200 per kilo. They are also treated as a token of status and success in Vietnam, similar to shark fins in China.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), over a million pangolins have been taken from the wild over the last decade. As a result, there's a huge decline in the Asian populations of pangolins. With this, poachers have turned to four other African species as an alternative.

As of now, all eight species are at risk of extinction. As the World Pangolin Day (Feb. 20) nears, the public should be aware about this species then maybe we could put a stop before it becomes instinct.

TagsPangolin, Most trafficked mammal, animal extinction, China Leads World in Illegal Wildlife Trade, illegal wildlife trade