17th Feb: World Pangolin Day

Pangolins:  the world's most trafficked mammal and why we should protect it.  (Nyasa Times) 

TRAFFIC's work to protect pangolins.

How this pangolin sperm bank in S’pore is giving the world’s most trafficked mammal a lifeline (The Straits Times)

World Pangolin Day falls on the third Saturday of February each year – so in 2024, it’s on 17th February.

Pangolins urgently need our help.  One of  their biggest problems is that people don't know much about them - but they are the most illegally trafficked mammal on the planet.

Shy pangolins need us to be social for them on their behalf.

We need to be their voice and tell people about them.

We need to spread the word far and wide about these shy, solitary animals.  We need to get social for them, and spread the word about their state and how people can help.

Awareness days give us a good excuse to do just that – not that one is needed – and World Pangolin Day falls on the third Saturday of February every year.  

17 February 2024    

#worldpangolinday  =  the chance to tell people about pangolins

Please shout out for pangolins – tweet, share on Facebook, Instagram, everywhere you can think of.  Spread the word.
Visit the Facebook page to see what's going on and what you can share.


World Pangolin Day

 

Pangolins need us to explain that wildlife crime doesn’t pay

Education for Nature – Vietnam  (ENV) is working to educate people that wildlife crime doesn’t pay;   it has a  You Tube video showing a wildlife traffickers in prison, with prison sentences of up to 15 years for wildlife trafficking.   They have a number of videos which you can share to stop pangolin consumption and trade. The ENV is urging the public to join the fight against wildlife crime.  And they have a safer with science video, showing that science is safer than relying on traditional medicines.  

On 15 February 2023, in the province of Quang Nam: Tam Ky city launches a ‘Say No to wildlife’ campaign This is a comprehensive effort to eradicate wildlife meat consumption in the region.

Pangolin Projects and Conservation Charities need us to help them so that they can help the pangolins

There’s plenty of work being done to help pangolins – with lots of charities working their heart out to solve the problem.  Here are some examples:

Pangolin Crisis Fund

Back in 2019 (mid), the Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) was launched.  Its mission is to save all eight species of pangolins from extinction.  The Pangolin Crisis Fund invests in projects to stop the poaching of pangolins, to stop the trade and demand for pangolin products and to raise the profile of pangolins.  You can find out abaout their latest investments in their 2022 Update.

The Pangolin Crisis Fund has also given a grant to WildAid which has worked to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products in China and Vietnam.  It is working to raise awareness of the pangolins’ plight and discourage consumption of their meat and scales.   If China stops making and using pangolin medicines in its hospital networks and suggests alternatives, other practioners will follow suit.  The demand for pangolins in China will reduce.

IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group has launched its global conservation action plan, Scaling Up Pangolin Conservation and you can download the PDF here.  You can also see the national strategies for Singapore, Taiwan, Nepal, Hong Kong SAR and the Philippines.  The global conservation action plan includes:

  1. Conservation Research - finding out more about pangolins, their habitats, behaviours, etc
  2. Pangolin Strongholds - identifying where they are
  3. Policy Recommendations including legislation, enforcement 
  4. Demand reduction, behaviour change, and awareness raising

African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation has a three pronged approach to protect the pangolin:

  1. It promotes public awareness working with partner organisations to create public awareness campaigns, such as "When the Buying Stops the Killing can too" to show consumers of the damage wildlife products do to wildlife populations and that there are no medicinal properties in pangolin scales
  2. It deploys detection dogs with its Canines for Conservation programme – AWF works with wildlife authorities to train and deploy sniffer dog teams to seaports, airports and other wildlife trafficking dogs. 
  3. It engages communities and get locals involved, giving them the tools and incentives they need for sustainable agriculture that allow them to move away from hunting threatened wildlife for food

Visit our list of pangolin charities on Animals Charities and you’ll find more links.