Bush meat sellers at Atwemonom, a well-known market center for bush meat sales in Kumasi, have pledged their commitment to protecting pangolins, a critically endangered species, by ceasing their trade in the animal.
The traders made this commitment after learning about the crucial role pangolins play in maintaining ecological balance. Previously considered a local delicacy, pangolins have been heavily hunted, threatening their survival. However, the traders now vow to stop selling pangolin meat to allow the species to thrive.
Madam Comfort Badu, Queen Mother of the Atwemonom Bush Meat Sellers, emphasized that the traders would engage hunters to stop capturing pangolins for sale. “We will advise our hunters not to kill or bring pangolins to the market anymore. The government has strict laws regulating the trade and poaching of pangolins, and any hunter caught violating them does so at their own risk,” she warned.
Madam Badu made these remarks at the 2025 World Pangolin Day event organized in Kumasi by the Institute of Nature and Environmental Conservation (INEC) Ghana. The event, themed *“Youth Legacy for Pangolin Conservation”*, brought together students from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Toase Senior High School, alongside officials from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Customs officers, and bush meat traders.
She assured that market women would carefully inspect meat supplies from hunters to ensure pangolins were no longer part of the trade.
Mr. David Kwarteng, Executive Director of INEC Ghana, commended the traders for their commitment to ending pangolin poaching. He reiterated that pangolins are among the most trafficked animals globally and face significant threats in Ghana.
“What is most concerning is the lack of data on how many pangolins are taken from the wild each year. It is heartwarming to hear from our traders that they will report, confiscate, and educate hunters on the need to stop harvesting pangolins. Their response has been very encouraging,” Mr. Kwarteng noted. He further expressed hope that law enforcement agencies would strictly implement regulations and ensure appropriate sentencing for offenders.
Dr. Meyir Zeikah, Manager of the Kumasi Zoological Gardens, urged the public to rescue and bring injured or captured pangolins to the zoo for treatment and rehabilitation.
Pangolins are protected under both national and international laws, with all eight species listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Conservationists hope that increased awareness and stricter enforcement will help preserve the species for future generations.