Urgent appeal to save the world’s most trafficked mammal

Wanjala (c) Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

This World Pangolin Day, Born Free has launched ‘Plight of the Pangolin’ – our new appeal to fight against wildlife crime, promote global policy reform and change attitudes by telling the story of this little-known creature. 

Pangolins are special. These unique mammals have remained unchanged for 70 million years, but tragically, their future now hangs in the balance due to the brutal illegal trade in their scales and body parts.

HELP SAVE PANGOLINS WITH A GIFT TODAY

Pangolins are the only mammal with scales. When curled in a ball, their tough, scaly armour (made from keratin, just like human fingernails) protects them from predators, even a lion. But sadly, these shy, gentle animals have no defence against humans., and they are easy prey for poachers who capture them to be sold on the black market.

After years of our campaigning, along with others, the international trade in pangolins was officially banned in 2017. However, there is still a sickening illegal trade in both pangolin scales – used in traditional Asian medicine – and their meat.

In the last decade alone, more than one million pangolins have been callously hunted and brutally killed. The grotesque and cruel pangolin trade tops all wildlife crime, and it’s thought that, on average, at least 400 pangolins fall victim to poachers every day.

SUPPORT OUR PANGOLIN APPEAL 

At Born Free, we are committed to protecting pangolins and halting the species’ slide towards extinction. We co-founded the Global Initiative to #EndWildlifeCrime, calling for a UN agreement to tackle wildlife trafficking. This vital policy work allows us to speak up for pangolins at global meetings, and lobby decision-makers to make protecting pangolins a priority. 

Puck (c) Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

In Malawi, we support Lilongwe Wildlife Trust to help look after orphaned young pangolins – known as ‘pangopups’ – who have been confiscated alive from traffickers. Pangolins like Wanjala (pictured top), whose name means ‘hungry’ because she couldn’t stop eating when she was rescued by the team. Or Puck (pictured), who was just days old when confiscated. Weighing only 340g, his scales were still soft and his umbilical cord still attached. 

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, their expert team provide round the clock specialist care, to nurse these fortunate survivors back to health and prepare them for release back into the wild. But, without urgent action, these beautiful, mysterious animals could all but disappear before many people are aware they even exist. 

By supporting our ‘Plight of the Pangolin’ appeal you could help fight despicable wildlife crime, give rescued pangolins the good food and 24/7 care they need, and keep pangolins safe in the wild.  

PLEASE DONATE TODAY