Illegal harvest, use, and trade in Temminck’s pangolins by communities adjacent to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

Pangolins are one of the most trafficked animals in the world, including the Temminck?s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Tanzania faces international pangolin trade threats, yet data on Temminck?s pangolins remains scarce despite conservation calls. We interviewed 22 villages near Ruaha National Park to understand pangolin harvest, use, and trade. Pangolin hunting is mostly opportunistic during daily activities, except for village elders who actively hunt pangolins. Pangolin scales dominate trade, primarily purchased by pastoralists and traditional healers. Scales are mainly used in cultural practices and for traditional medicinal purposes. Finally, we learned that there is decreased pangolin use in markets resulting from improved law enforcement and their growing scarcity. Our results suggest that illegal pangolin harvest, use, and trade threaten their survival; locally relevant conservation efforts, including education and enforcement, are crucial to drive effective conservation action.