Scientists use DNA maps to find pangolin trafficking hubs, Pg2

Key Highlights:

• Scientists have created a genetic map using DNA sequencing to trace the trafficking routes of the three most-traded pangolin species.
• The study, published in PLoS Biology on May 7, identified key trafficking hotspots: southwestern Cameroon for white-bellied pangolins, southwestern Borneo for Sunda pangolins, and around Myanmar for Chinese pangolins.
• Researchers used 671 locations on the pangolin genome to differentiate between populations, overcoming the challenge of low DNA quality in seized materials.
• The study revealed that locations supplying pangolins to local markets often overlap with those supplying international traffickers, with domestic trade moving pangolins 454 km on average from the source.

Detailed Insights:

• This genetic map allows state agencies to pinpoint the origin of a trafficked pangolin with high accuracy, addressing the difficulty of tracing seized scales back to specific locations.
• The database covers major locations of all eight pangolin species, providing detailed population genomic insights and trade tracing estimates.
• Traffickers collect scales from various nearby populations before shipping them worldwide, primarily to China and Vietnam.
• International seizures in China originated both from outside and within the country, with evidence of a network from northeastern India, around Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• The study highlights the complex relationship between local and international markets, challenging the previous assumption that they are independent problems.
• The illegal wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar transnational crime, and this new genetic map may provide the evidence needed to disrupt the trade at its source.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• DNA Sequencing: Determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule.
• Genome: The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism.
• Population Genomics: Study of the genetic variation within and between populations of organisms.