Of Pangolins, Bats and the Illegal Trade of Wildlife
By Alexis Olds and Philippa Huntly, CapeNature Biodiversity Capabilities
The COVID-19 pandemic has got us to think about our relationship to the natural world and specifically the animals with which we share this planet. While there is currently much speculation about the transmission of COVID-19, and the role that wild animals play (particularly pangolins and bats), it is important to understand that scientists have mapped only a fraction of wildlife viruses. Many of these have co-evolved in a vast variety of insects and animals — not just pangolins and bats. COVID-19 is the latest in a series of animal-related outbreaks that include the SARS epidemic and the MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) outbreak in 2012. Bamboo rats and civet cats were implicated in the 2003 SARS outbreak and dromedary camels were the source of the MERS 2012 outbreak in Saudi Arabia.
An excellent, balanced article, by Don Pinnock and Tiara Walters in the Daily Maverick of 25 March, details how scientists are racing to pin down the biological origins of COVID-19 and note that as this research continues there is mounting evidence that the pangolin - one of the planet’s most endangered and illegally trafficked mammals - is one of the likely pandemic carriers.
When animal hosts are left in the wild, they pose little risk to human health. Pangolins and bats are both carriers of a coronavirus strain but rarely come into contact with one another and their respective strains of coronavirus aren’t transmittable to humans. When they are removed from their natural environment and placed in close proximity to other animal hosts (as is the case in wildlife trade markets), the risk of human infection increases significantly. One proposed theory of how COVID-19 became transmissible to humans, is that two different strains of the coronavirus found in bats and pangolins were transmitted to a common host where the two strains recombined. This recombination led to the virus becoming transmittable to humans.
While the jury is still out on whether or not Covid-19 is found to have been transmitted through pangolins, research is telling us that it certainly could have been. If current levels of illegal trade continue, pangolins, and other wild animals such as bats, could be a vector for another new disease. Typically illegal trade involves animals becoming massively stressed, starved and dehydrated. Pangolins carry high pathogen loads and have parasites, like ticks. In short it is a no brainer that pangolin - like all our other wildlife - should be let well alone in the wild where they belong.
South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot and while the outbreak of COVID-19 most likely originated in China, South African wildlife regularly finds its way to wildlife trade markets around the world. The unique fauna and flora of the Western Cape attracts biodiversity criminals in the form of both national and international individuals and syndicates. Here in the Western Cape they specifically target our unique succulent plants, dwarf adders, girdled lizards and tortoises, amongst others. Since 2015 CapeNature’s alliance with provincial and national prosecuting authorities has resulted in more than 600 criminal enforcement actions.
Pangolins do not naturally occur in the Western Cape. In 2014, CapeNature seized a live pangolin during a sting operation, targeting illegal wildlife trade through the province. Five suspects were charged and four found guilty in October 2019, of contraventions in terms of the Nature Conservation Ordinance. The pangolin was saved and rehabilitated.
One certainly is that the illegal trade in wildlife is no good for wildlife or humans and CapeNature will continue to uphold the law and to do our part to fight this scourge. Wildlife should not be regarded as a threat to humans due to their ability to host and transmit diseases, but should be respected for their ability to contribute the maintenance of intact ecosystems which are integral to all life on earth, through their marvellous abilities to evolve and co-evolve to maintain balance in nature.
Related News
CapeNature visitors invited to support communities through new donation scheme
A visit to a CapeNature nature reserve can help a neighbour in need. From 5 October 2026, guests at three participating nature reserves can bring gently used clothing, blankets and other essential items for local non-profit organisations. The first phase of the donation scheme will run at Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve near Heidelberg, Kogelberg Nature Reserve near Kleinmond, and Cederberg Wilderness Nature Reserve near Clanwilliam.
Radio network upgrade to strengthen emergency communication in Hangklip area
CapeNature and Overstrand Municipality will install a small radio repeater station near Hangklip Peak as part of an upgrade to the region’s radio communication network. The repeater will strengthen the communication networks used by both parties and improve coverage across the Overstrand municipal area, Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Betty’s Bay Marine Protected Area and parts of the City of Cape Town. Reliable radio communication is essential for the daily operations of
State of Conservation Report 2026 tracks progress and pressures facing Western Cape biodiversity
The Western Cape’s biodiversity is facing mounting pressure, with a sharp increase in the area affected by fires and more ecosystems and species classified as threatened, according to the Western Cape State of Conservation Report 2026. The report records 107 fires that burned 215 936 hectares during the 2025/26 reporting period – almost three times the 75 174 hectares burned by 97 fires in the previous reporting period.
El Niño raises fire risk as Western Cape prepares for a challenging fire season
The Western Cape is preparing for a potentially challenging wildfire season, with the developing El Niño weather pattern expected to contribute to hotter and drier conditions and an increased risk of wildfires across the province. The South African Weather Service has warned of below-normal rainfall associated with the expected strong El Niño during the coming summer season. While El Niño does not automatically mean that every part of the province will experience drought
Cape fur seal safety remains important this World Rabies Day
On World Rabies Day (28 September), CapeNature is reminding residents and visitors to keep a safe distance from Cape fur seals and to act immediately if they or their pets are bitten, scratched or exposed to a seal’s saliva. Rabies has been detected in Cape fur seals along the South African coastline and by the end of 2025, at least 176 people had been bitten by seals. While most seals do not pose a threat to people, they are wild animals and should never be approached, touched, fed or encouraged to interact with humans.
How Waste Affects Biodiversity and What We Can Do About It
Waste is more than an eyesore. Littered streets, polluted rivers and overflowing landfills are visible signs of a much wider environmental problem. Every year, people generate large volumes of waste, yet much of it is not managed effectively. In South Africa, more than 60% of waste has been reported as ending up in landfills. With service-delivery challenges and many major landfill sites approaching capacity, the pressure on communities and natural ecosystems continues to grow. Both terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity carry much of the impact.