Curbing the impact of trade-motivated poisoning on Critically Endangered vultures in southern Africa

pangolin skin and scales in shipping containers.

This project plans to provide proof of principle that this is possible and would be the first phase of a much larger project to mainstream rats as an innovative tool in combatting illegal wildlife trade.

This project is intended to conserve hardwood and pangolin species by addressing the impacts of wildlife trafficking in shipping containers, which are used to smuggle large volumes of wildlife contraband such as timber hardwoods) and pangolins.

Specific activities include: (1) testing the rats in a laboratory environment for their ability to discriminate between the target substances of timber (hardwoods) and pangolin skin and scales and a wide variety of other control substances; (2) developing an appropriate indication mechanism; (3) assessing the best operational option for the rats to detect hardwoods and pangolins in containers, comparing success rates of direct detection at the vents, or detection of filters sampled through the vents."