A first-of-its-kind technology called the Pango-Cam offers conservationists new insight into the daily life of a pangolin. With funding from National Geographic, filmmaker Katie Schuler and biologist Matthew Shirley developed the Pango-Cam; a lightweight, waterproof camera that can be attached harmlessly to the back of a pangolin.
Located high on the back of the pangolin, with a view over the top of its head, this new technology will help conservationists study the behaviors and habits of pangolins. The camera is flexible, yet durable to accommodate pangolins swimming, climbing, and rolling into a ball for protection.
Not much is known about pangolins because they are hard to observe in the wild. Footage from the Pango-Cam will offer conservationists the opportunity to collect data regarding what insects they prefer to eat, where they prefer to sleep and what threats they face day-to-day. All eight sub-species of pangolin are endangered and greater knowledge about the species will help conservationists formulate a more robust conservation strategy. Understanding more about the most trafficked mammal in the world may help us save it from the brink of extinction.
