The armored mammals are trafficked for their scales and meat.

Pangolins — strangely adorable, scale-covered creatures believed to be the most heavily trafficked mammal in the world — should receive protection under the Endangered Species Act, federal officials said Monday.

The animals are native to Africa and Asia, but the Endangered Species Act requires the government to protect endangered species whether they live in the United States or abroad.

The proposal to bring pangolins under U.S. protection comes in response to years-old legal action by conservationists, and despite recent moves under President Trump to weaken the Endangered Species Act and other environmental policies.

For foreign animals, Endangered Species Act benefits include prohibitions on import and export, hunting and commercial activity. Protection can also open the door to financial assistance to develop and manage conservation programs in the species’ native countries, although that has been thrown into question recently by funding freezes and cuts under