Part II of Forensic’s series on wildlife laboratories highlights a less traditional role scientists are sometimes forced to play—correcting misinformation. Whether spread because of a bad journal article (i.e. the flu shot causes autism), ancient cultural traditions or simply rumor, scientists have a responsibility to relay correct, impartial data whenever possible.
Scientists at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensic Laboratory did just that with the publication of a paper debunking the common Asian myth that pangolin scales contain analgesic tramadol. Pangolins are perhaps the most trafficked animals in the world as their scales are used in traditional medicine and folk remedies through Asia and Africa. Although the mammals are protected under national and international laws, illegal trade is increasing, pushing pangolins toward extinction.
“To the extent that false claims might augment illegal trade in pangolin scales, it is important that they be corrected, and that they are not perpetuated,” the authors wrote in their article, published in Conservation Science and Practice.
There are eight pangolin species, all of which are completely covered in scales. Past media reports have suggested that pangolin scales contain tramadol HCI, a synthetic opioid used as an analgesic. The authors say the original source of the reports is hard to pinpoint, but the information may be related to incorrect research results out of Riau University in Indonesia.
In an effort to correct this misinformation, researchers from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensic Laboratory examined the chemotypes of scales from 104 individual pangolins representing all extant species. Using JEOL-patented DART-TOF-MS, each pangolin scale was analyzed, then probed for tramadol and tramadol HCI within a 15 mmu window and a threshold of 5% of the base peak. Unsurprisingly, when comparing the spectrums, the researchers found zero indication that any of the scales contained tramadol HCI or corresponding isotopes.
“Accurate knowledge of pangolin biology is a crucial first step as policy makers and enforcement officials attempt to implement effective behavior change strategies that seek to reduce pressure on fragile pangolin populations,” the authors wrote.
While this research may have been a step away from traditional forensic research—even for the scientists at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensic Lab—it underscores the critical role all scientists play in disseminating accurate data and information.
“We hope our results will contribute to discussions that seek to reduce demand for pangolin scales by informing decisions about financial resource allocation, public education efforts, enforcement priorities, and management plans that accurately address present and future threats to pangolin populations,” the researchers concluded.