In a significant blow to wildlife trafficking, Nigerian authorities recently seized 2 metric tons of pangolin scales, worth tens of thousands of dollars on the black market, and arrested a suspect believed to be a key broker, according to a recent Mongabay report. This operation, carried out by the Nigeria Customs Service with intelligence from the Wildlife Justice Commission, highlights the country’s efforts to combat transnational wildlife trafficking networks, a growing concern in Nigeria, with many endangered species being hunted and traded for bushmeat or sold on the black market. Pangolins are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with all eight species facing significant conservation challenges due to habitat loss, poaching and trade. In Nigeria, pangolins are protected under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Decree No. 11 (1985). Current population numbers are not readily available, though reports suggest their numbers are declining. Unfortunately, misconceptions and a lack of awareness about the importance of conservation have exacerbated the problem, contributing to the decline of not just pangolins, but many species in Nigeria. In this interview, Mongabay spoke with Dr. Mark Ofua, a dedicated Nigerian wildlife conservationist, popularly known as the “Snake Man of Lagos.” Interestingly, Ofua’s choice to study veterinary medicine defies Nigeria’s societal norms, in which parents often prioritize human medicine, engineering or nursing and students studying in unconventional fields could be made to feel shameful for their pursuits. Ofua shares his insights on these issues and his efforts…This article was originally published on Mongabay