HUNTING ENDANGERED PANGOLINS: MOTIVATIONS, VULNERABILITIES AND CONSERVATION ISSUES IN GHANA

Hunting and possession of wildlife species and their body parts for medications have resulted in biodiversity loss, with pangolins among the most endangered and heavily trafficked mammals. Although in Ghana, pangolins are protected by institutions and legislations, these practices persist. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations behind pangolin hunting and the species' vulnerabilities that make it susceptible to hunting. Also, it aimed to highlight respondents' views on pangolin conservation and sustainable livelihoods in Ghana. This study employed an exploratory research design and utilized semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative and quantitative data from 32 hunters and 21 traditional healers. Findings indicate that the source of livelihood, cultural traits, and the use of pangolin body parts for treatment of ailments motivate pangolin hunting. In addition, vulnerabilities of the pangolin, such as its slow movement and ascending into canopies of trees, encourage its hunting. Despite the growing advocacy for pangolin conservation, awareness of their endangered status and prohibition of hunting and possessing pangolins remains low among hunters and traditional healers in Ghana. However, hunters and traditional healers are willing to help conserve pangolins if the Government of Ghana and relevant institutions come to their aid to either enhance their current secondary livelihoods or provide alternative livelihoods that would alleviate their financial hurdles. The hunters would abandon the hunting of pangolins, while traditional healers would rely on herbs for treating ailments, thereby ensuring the long-term conservation of pangolin populations in Ghana.