Day 3637: Do you know Pangolins?

 

"Loss": acrylics, collage, digital.

 

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2GN2S ...

The Pangolin People

Pangolin comes from ‘penggulung,’ the Malay word for roller, the action a pangolin takes in self-defense.

Pangolins are sometimes mistaken as reptiles, also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet. But they are actually scaly-skinned mammals. When in danger, the pangolin can roll into a ball, exposing only the tough scales for protection. Little is known about this elusive creature, so it’s difficult to estimate wild population sizes. But given the demand for pangolin meat and scales, and the massive seizures of pangolin scales that occurred in 2019 and 2020, the population is in decline.

 

They certainly are one of the most trafficked mammals in Asia and, increasingly, Africa. Pangolins are in high demand in countries like China and Vietnam. Their meat is considered a delicacy and pangolin scales are used in traditional medicine and folk remedies to treat a range of ailments from asthma to rheumatism and arthritis. There is also demand in the Americas for their skins used to make leather products like boots, bags, and belts. All eight pangolin species are protected under national and international laws but that is not stopping the massive international illegal trade in pangolins, which has increased in recent years because of growing demand.

More than 1,000,000 pangolins were trafficked over a 10-year period, with 2019 data indicating that a pangolin is poached every three minutes.

 

 

The good new: WWF, together with TRAFFIC, is working in Asia and Africa to protect pangolins and other species from wildlife crime. They are actively trying to reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products in countries like China and Vietnam. And also helping governments mount a strong defense against the poaching crisis. 

 The Libassa Wildlife Sanctuary in Liberia, West Africa is helping to care for the world's most trafficed animals. In the past four years Wiper says the sanctuary has taken in almost 600 animals – from pangolins to dwarf crocodiles, monkeys and others. She says the main objective is to rehabilitate and return as much Liberian wildlife to the forest as they can.

And, WWF is lobbying for strong national laws and stronger enforcement to ensure that wildlife crime does not pay. To help reduce the trade in pangolin products online, WWF and TRAFFIC co-convene the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online along with conservation organization IFAW and nearly 50 global tech companies to identify and block illegal listings.

 

 *Note: this is a remembrance from 2017, a bit long but it's kinda funny? Or skip and move on down.

 

Thursday morning, early ... 

 

"WW drove my lil' hybrid into LAX, in traffic.

Heavy traffic! Bless all the souls who do that daily. LAX is in the midst of renovation. Sound like fun? They decided to change terminal locations. I have decided I will no longer travel alone ... I need a WW or Wonder-someone to get me to where I am supposed to be? We parked, rolled our carry on's & got in line. There is a joke here, cause this Grandma is bionic, so the 2 titanium hips set of the security alarm, every time.

WW, in her kindness, took a photo to send to the GH'S. We ate breakfast in the airport & the bill could have funded a 3rd world country.  Lots of venues to choose from, all in the same price range. Everybody in it together.

Still amazing that this big silver thing gets off the ground!

Looking out the tiny window is the best 

geography lesson ever.

I've flown all over the world, and am still amazed.

This was a first, a racing stripe in the sky! Cool?

Here's a close-up for you ...

and touch down ... Indianapolis.

Yay! What used to take my parents 4 days to drive, 
when I was a kid, we do in 4 hours.

Thursday evening we six went to dinner at Traderspoint Creamery with the Sanders.

A stunningly beautiful working farm/restaurant, Zionsville, IN. 

 

I had Panzanella! 

Which I would gladly eat for every meal for the 

rest of my  life!

Housemade sourdough crouton, heirloom tomatoes,

 cucumber, Sheet's Creek cheddar, hyssop, arugula,

 melon vinaigrette."

I'm drooling as I type this!

 

 

 

Throwback Thursday ...

 

 

Super Summer Seminar, 1990, Anaheim, CA

 

 Colin Morris, Larry Carlson, Dam McGeough

 

 

 

 

 

An amazing 4-minute video, Pangolins, here.

 

Just because ...

 

 

Major Mitchell Cockatoo

 

 

Smiles for Thursday ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

                                                               Thanks for coming by today