Africa– Its about time that Africa held solid discussion about the depletion of endangered species due to misinformation. In a digital age where a single post can reach millions in seconds, the battle for truth is more urgent than ever especially when lives hang in the balance. Not just human lives, but those of endangered species, whose very existence is threatened by a silent yet potent enemy: misinformation. Animals both wild and domestic exist to balance the ecosystem and keep the cycle of the food chain.
From pangolins to rhinoceroses, social media platforms and word-of-mouth channels are rife with unfounded claims that certain animal parts possess miraculous healing properties. These myths, cloaked in traditional belief or pseudo-scientific jargon, not only perpetuate ignorance but also drive illegal wildlife trafficking, leading to devastating consequences for global biodiversity.
Kenya is home to three species of pangolins: the Giant Pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), the White-bellied Pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), and the Cape or Temminck’s Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). These species are classified as endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Pangolins are more afraid of you than you are of them. These shy, insectivorous creatures won’t attack a human. When threatened, they resort to coiling into a tight sphere in self-defense, relying on their sharp scales to deter predators.
Despite there being no scientific evidence to support the illegal hunting of Pangolins, whole pangolins are consumed as a delicacy in countries like Vietnam and China. Their scales are used in traditional medicine allegedly to cure various ailments while their skins are processed into leather products like boots, belts, and bags. This is deemed as the biggest threat to pangolins; illegal and unsustainable hunting by humans for their meat and scales. According to WWF It’s estimated that one million pangolins have been poached in the space of a single decade to satisfy demand, making them perhaps the world’s most-poached animal.
Africa is now a primary source of pangolins scaly anteaters whose keratin-rich scales are trafficked in masses to Asia, where they are falsely believed to cure illnesses ranging from arthritis to cancer. But this myth has increasingly taken root in parts of Africa too, where pangolins are used in traditional rituals and medicine, promoted by dubious practitioners and viral WhatsApp messages claiming miraculous results.
These creatures, already elusive and slow to reproduce, face an existential threat largely due to misinformation spread in both physical marketplaces and online networks.
The internet is a new frontier in amplifying these myths like never before. Social media platforms, online marketplaces, and encrypted messaging apps allow traffickers to promote false claims, advertise products, and connect with buyers without much regulation. Posts claiming “pangolin scale cures” spread quickly, particularly in local dialects, where fact-checking is rare. Spiritual influencers on platforms like TikTok Live promote “traditional remedies” involving endangered species, giving an air of legitimacy to false claims. Meanwhile, wildlife authorities struggle to monitor or counter these trends in real time. Combatting the illegal wildlife trade must go beyond arrests and border patrols it must include dismantling the myths that sustain it. And that begins with education, awareness and community engagement.
Kenya is actively working to protect its pangolin populations through initiatives like the National Recovery and Action Plan for Pangolins in Kenya (2024-2028), which aims to address poaching, illegal trade, and habitat loss. The Pangolin Project is also involved in pangolin conservation efforts in Kenya, particularly in the Nyekweri forest, a biodiversity hotspot for the Giant Ground Pangolin.
Conservation organizations must partner with traditional leaders, healers, and community elders to promote scientifically accurate yet culturally sensitive information. Respecting traditional knowledge while rejecting harmful myths is key to changing hearts and minds. On the other hand, there is a need for public digital literacy and fact-checking across Africa to help communities question what they see and read online. Schools, local media, and youth networks must be empowered to debunk wildlife myths, one social post at a time. African governments must collaborate with tech companies to identify and remove wildlife-related misinformation and illicit sales. Just as Facebook and X regulate political misinformation, they should be pressured to act against wildlife myths that threaten ecosystems. Infact, use fire to fight fire, if they mobilize young people to create counter-narratives, memes, short videos, and campaigns rooted in truth, it will catalyze and challenge misinformation in relatable ways.
If we are to preserve the continent’s biodiversity for future generations, we must confront the myths that fuel its destruction.
