| 要旨トップ | 本企画の概要 | | 日本生態学会第73回全国大会 (2026年3月、京都) 講演要旨 ESJ73 Abstract

シンポジウム S21-4 （Presentation in Symposium）

#### The Post-Pandemic Pangolin Trade: A Reassessment of China's Medicinal Market【E】【S】

*Yifu WANG（CUHK-Shenzhen）

The trade in wildlife-sourced products for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a recognized global threat to numerous endangered species. The COVID-19 pandemic has since driven profound shifts in wildlife trade dynamics and regulatory policies across the globe, with China implementing notable adjustments to its relevant frameworks. This study revisits China's TCM wildlife-sourced product market to elucidate post-COVID-19 changes in wildlife trade and consumption patterns. In 2023, we conducted a follow-up survey of key TCM stakeholders in two provinces in China, including wholesalers, clinics/hospitals, and retail pharmaceutical shops, documenting their utilization of wildlife-derived medicinal products (e.g., pangolin scales, tokay gecko, and saiga horn). Overall, our findings reveal low levels of wildlife-sourced medicinal use within the TCM sector, with a marked decline observed in the post-COVID-19 period. Interviewees widely reported reduced market demand, supply chain disruptions or suspensions, and rising prices for such products. For instance, pre-pandemic data indicated that over 60% of surveyed hospitals sold pangolin-derived products, compared to fewer than 20% in the post-COVID-19 period; for retail pharmaceutical shops, the proportion of outlets reporting pangolin product sales dropped from 34% pre-pandemic to just 5% in our 2023 survey. Survey respondents identified four primary drivers of this declining utilization: strengthened species conservation protections, the removal of certain wildlife materials from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, escalating market prices, and enhanced regulatory oversight of TCM products. Our results validate existing reports of reduced post-COVID-19 consumption of wildlife-sourced products in TCM sector, with the most pronounced decline evident for pangolin-derived materials. Sustained implementation of effective regulatory measures and continued reductions in market demand for wildlife-sourced medicinal products are likely to alleviate anthropogenic exploitation pressures, thereby conferring conservation benefits to the associated threatened species.

日本生態学会