Help Pangolins
This section of the website shows how you can help pangolins. They are the most illegally trafficked mammal in the world and they really need our help.
A CITES report reports that over half a million pangolins were seized between 2016 and 2024, mostly sourced from some African countries and destined for China and Vietnam for body parts, allegedly. Pangolin parts are wanted for meat and medicinal products. Find out about threats to pangolins here
World Pangolin Day is on 21 February 2026!
Awareness days can be a great way to raise the profile of animals who aren’t as cute and cuddly as the panda, or as well-known as the polar bear. Make the most of it and tell people about pangolins! As we said above, be their PR agents! This year’s theme is “Guardians in Action”, and it recognises the essential role everyone involved in pangolin conservation plays, be they conservation professionals, those involved in rescue operations, rehabilitation programmes, habitat monitoring and public awareness campaigns. Far greater law enforcement is required to stop the illegal trade in pangolins.
Visit the IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group (London) on Facebook here.
#pangolinconservation #WorldPangolinDay #pangolinguardians
Tell people that pangolins exist! Pangolins need PR agents!
One of the first challenges pangolins face is that many people don’t know that they exist, or if they have heard of them, they’ve no idea what they are. This video from the Zoological Society of London tells you about the pangolin. Fauna and Flora International have some great pangolin t-shirts, jumpers, aprons and hats you could buy to wear and tote bags to carry, so that you can show people pangolins exist! The pangolins really need us all to raise awareness in the world that they exist. As BBC Earth said, we need to make pangolins into influencers!
Tell people why pangolins matter!
They are guardians of the forest, protecting them from destruction by termites. Pangolins eat termites and ants, so they help regulate insect populations. This means fewer problems relating to pests and less need for pest control by governments. These can damage crops and vegetation if they aren't controlled. If they disappear, then termites could increase and cause damage to crops and structures, which could cause damage. Pangolins dig, both for food or they make underground burrows. They can sleep there. Digging enables them to mix soil and move it about - and that is good for the soil, because it releases nutrients and keeps the soil fertile. All this helps the balance of the eco-system. The Nature Conservancy says that one pangolin can protect 41 acres from destruction by termites, thanks to the huge appetite pangolins have. We need to help pangolins - as they help us by looking after the ecosystem. And we need to stand up for those who have no voice.
Pangolin News!
There's an app to find out about pangolins!
February 2026 Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital has partnered with Habitat Nature Parks Foundation to Launch an amazing Pangolin AR App Ahead of World Pangolin Day
Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (JWVH) has partnered with the Habitat Nature Parks Foundation and its immersive production studio Habitat XR to launch Wild Voices: Pangolin. It’s a free augmented reality (AR) mobile app and it allows you to meet and speak to a life-sized Temminck’s ground pangolin, using your smartphone! You can download Wild Voices: Pangolin from the App Store and Google Play. There’s an option to donate to support pangolin rescue and rehabilitation efforts at JWVH. They understand the need to connect people to nature and foster empathy on a large scale – and by connecting people to the pangolin through an app, there’s the chance to do just that and help people realise that pangolins are worth protecting. You can ask the pangolin questions, and learn about its biology, threats and ecological importance – and it’s all based on scientifically informed data. This is a really exciting opportunity for lots of people to find out about pangolins – and that they actually exist!!
February 2026: Zimbabwe reaffirms its commitment to protecting pangolins!
The Sangtam community of Nagaland in north east India has pledged to protect pangolins across 2 districts. This is in response to rising poaching and organising trafficking. The resolution was made in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India and it comes after earlier conservation successes, led by communities, which had banned the hunting of Chinese pangolins in 2024 and extended protections to gibbons and hornbills in June 2025. Getting local communities involved in conservation really makes a difference!
December 2025: The First West African Pangolin Action Plan (2026-2056) was released – a 30 year road map for African pangolin conservation!
December 2025: A new publication which studied the connection between the demand for traditional medicines and pangolin trafficking and ways to protect them was released
December 2025: IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group were at the #CITSECOP20 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they had a very busy time, presenting a Pangolin Conservation and Trade Status report, which highlighted current challenges and progress, strengthening their partnership with range states' governments and looking at collaboration opportunities with governments for NGO partners to implement regional initiatives such as the West African Action Plan.
There are a number of charities involved in pangolin conservation, such as the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and the Born Free Foundation, Save Vietnam's Wildlife and the Wildlife Alliance. You can adopt a pangolin from them as a way to support their work – maybe as a present for a nature/wildlife lover? Find out more here
Spread the word about wildlife trafficking
Education for Nature Vietnam has a number of public announcement videos, telling people about the implications of being caught if they traffic wildlife in Vietnam. They also have educational messages about choosing science rather than traditional medicine. Pangolins need us to be their messengers!
Say no to pangolin meat and any products with pangolin in them. Wildaid launched a “Say NO to pangolin meat” campaign in 2022. It aims to raise awareness of pangolin’s important role in maintaining a healthy environment. It is also stressing the role that Cameroon can play in protecting these animals and how it can become a leader in African conservation. Anything with pangolin scales, pangolin wine, fashion accessories is a no-no. Reduce the demand for pangolins! Find out more
Or you could make a donation
Either to one of these charities or to the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group.
Follow the charities involved on social media and share their news
Spread the word to let people know that groups of people are working to help pangolins and that everyone can help.