Brutal hunting of Pangolins

[Catherine]

Quote: However, having said all that, the demand for such animal parts will not cease until the false belief in their medical properties is soundly dealt with a local level. These superstitions do need to be challenged for what they are - completely baseless medically. A double-pronged attack is needed. The demand needs to cease, as well as helping the poachers to find alternative sources of income. Otherwise, the importers and processors will just seek new poachers for a higher rate of pay.

You are quite right. I just don't know how you can convince people that things like pangolin scales have no medical properties whatsoever. I can't imagine how they got the idea in the first place.

I can understand using certain herbs as medicine. The plants contain chemicals that have an effect and often are later turned into mass produced drugs that are sold. The pangolin scales are just the same stuff as fingernails. We know that fingernails have no medical properties or people who bite their fingernails would have perfect health.

I think it is going to be easier to find jobs for poachers than to overcome superstitions. Superstitious medical beliefs are probably the hardest to overcome. Because superstitions are irrational they cannot be overcome by rational arguments.

Maybe someone could start making fake pangolin scales. I bet a 3D printer could do it. They could even be made out of keratin. It is a thought. I wonder if it could really work.