ナショナルジオグラフィックのインスタグラム(natgeo) - 8月20日 23時38分

Photos by David Chancellor @chancellordavid A village elder cradles a pangolin in West Pokot, in northern Kenya. The pangolin is a deeply significant spiritual creature to the Pokot people. They believe it has otherworldly powers, and when one is encountered, a black goat must be slaughtered, as pangolins are also believed to harbor bad omens. A generation ago, they were hunted here for their scales, which were believed to protect the moran (warriors) from death when fighting other tribes. A lot has changed since then; they are now the world’s most trafficked (nonhuman) mammaI and thought to account for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade. Tens of thousands are poached every year, killed for their scales for use in traditional Chinese medicine and for their meat, which is considered a delicacy in China and Vietnam. It’s thought that a pangolin kept in a cage at a Chinese live (wet) market was the vector between a bat and a human required to set the current pandemic in motion. I’d heard stories of herders bumping into them in Kenya, but I had no real expectations of seeing one. There have been sightings recently, and the community here is fully aware of the significance of these extraordinary precious creatures. The sightings have sparked inspiration for conservation measures to be put in place. There is now widespread support among the community, and work is underway to protect them in their natural environment. Incidentally, their scales are made of keratin, the same as human fingernails and rhino horn, and have no proven medicinal value. To see more follow me @chancellordavid @nrt_kenya #westpokot #pokot #northernkenya #kenya #pangolin

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