According to a recent study, the pangolins smuggled into China have been confirmed to contain coronaviruses.
It is the most common smuggled mammal that is used both as food and in traditional medicine, especially in China.
“Handling these animals requires considerable caution, and their sale in wet markets should be strictly prohibited,” reported BBC quoting a research paper published in the journal Nature.
The report further suggested that surveillance on pangolins in China and Southeast Asia is the call of the hour so that their role could be understood in the emergence of coronaviruses.
Pangolins are smuggled for its scales, which are in high demand in Asia and it is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine.
Pangolin meat is also considered a delicacy.