“The international traffic in pangolins is a vast and heartbreaking criminal enterprise against a group of wondrous, gentle, and almost defenseless creatures. Timothy Bonebrake tells that story and much more in this thoughtful, important book.”

David Quammen, author of Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic

“Timothy Bonebrake and a colorful coterie of collaborating sleuths probe the identity, origins, and ultimate destination of 88 mutilated pangolin carcasses seized in Hong Kong. Combining erudition with a light touch, Bonebrake explains how exploitation and trade have depleted wild pangolin populations—and the potential implications for people.”

David Dudgeon, The University of Hong Kong

“Bonebrake turns the illegal pangolin trade into a gripping ‘mammalian murder mystery,’ weaving ecology, conservation, and disease dynamics into a clear-eyed account of how wildlife exploitation reverberates through ecosystems and public health. Readers gain both scientific insight and policy urgency—plus renewed hope that rigorous evidence can drive pangolin recovery.”

Hillary Young, The University of California, Santa Barbara