Better late than never. Pangolins—the world's most trafficked endangered species—can now breathe a sigh of relief as they will no longer be included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the official compendium of traditional medical products that are widely used within China. The decision comes after the small mammal was identified as a potential intermediary for Covid-19 between bats and humans. As many as 200,000 pangolins are consumed each year in Asia for their scales and meat. Chinese authorities had already outlawed the poaching of pangolins in 2007. They banned the commercial import of pangolin-related products in 2018, but the moves did little to stem the trade, thanks in part to loopholes in the ban and lenient treatment of those involved. The heightened protections were greeted with praise by several environmental groups, calling them "a significant milestone" in protecting the endangered species.