The suspects attempted to sell the pangolin.
Four suspects are expected to appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on Friday, June 5, 2026, following their arrest for attempting to sell an endangered pangolin for R80,000.
The suspects, aged between 47 and 62, face charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 and the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
A pangolin is a solitary, nocturnal mammal easily recognised by the tough, overlapping keratin scales that cover its body.
Pangolins are considered the world's most heavily trafficked wild mammals. They are poached for their meat and scales, which are highly sought after on the black market for use in traditional medicine, pushing the species toward extinction.
