Pangolins are the ultimate underdog: harmless to humans, yet poached and sold by the thousands each year. Tragically, they have become the most trafficked wild mammals on earth. What’s more, most people around the world still don’t know about pangolins and that each of the eight species is threatened with extinction.

Today, more than ever, pangolins need champions.

We believe that the best hope for pangolins is the growing number of young men and women who are fighting to save pangolins from extinction. That’s why Save Pangolins has launched the Pangolin Champions program: to empower a new generation of pangolin conservationists around the world dedicated to saving pangolins.

Like many entrepreneurs and young leaders, pangolin conservationists are launching new projects and organizations. Too often they lack the resources, support, and community they need to achieve their vision. Through the Pangolin Champions program, we aim to fill this need. We identify passionate, creative pangolin conservationists who have enormous potential to become leaders in the field. Once selected for the program, we provide financial support towards their work. In addition, we leverage our network of seasoned scientists and conservation experts to mentor and advise the Champions on project design, and career development. And because conservation can be lonely – the conditions are hard, the mission can feel impossible – the Pangolin Champions program gives them a community of peers so they can lean on and learn from each other.

Meet the first Champions

Hailing from Cameroon, Ichu is passionate about developing new methods for monitoring pangolins in the wild so we can better protect them. Ichu is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Mississippi State University. Ichu began his pangolin career when he was selected for the MENTOR-POP (Progress on Pangolins) Fellowship Program, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London. His Champion project is focused on identifying efficient, rapid assessment methods to document pangolin occurrence at suspected sites in Central and West Africa.

Murthy Kantimahanti has been working in the Eastern Ghats landscape of South India for several years with an aim to protect the lesser known wildlife of the region through local community engagement. His Champion project will assess the presence or absence of Indian pangolins in human-dominated landscapes, understand local perceptions that rural communities have of pangolins, and assess human related threats in the region.

Elisa Panjang is a young Malaysian conservation biologist working towards her PhD through Cardiff University and specializing in Sunda pangolin ecology and behaviour. She holds a Master of Science in Ecological Processes from Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Her Champion project aims to build public support for pangolin conservation through continued advocacy and outreach.

Kumar Paudel is the Co-Founder and Director of Greenhood Nepal, a science-driven conservation organization. He is a scholar-practitioner; conducts research to understand the species conservation problems and develop interventions on the ground. His Champion project aims to fulfill the data gap on the pangolin trade in Nepal, enhance public engagement in pangolins and strengthen conservation awareness of the people to inspire them to save pangolins.

These four bright leaders are just the beginning of the Pangolin Champions program. Save Pangolins is constantly seeking innovative, inspiring conservationists to select for the program. We aim to build a network of Champions across every country where pangolins are found. Only through a global, collaborative movement will we succeed at preventing the loss of pangolins.

Please join us and consider sponsoring the next Pangolin Champion by donating here, or contact us to learn more.

Are you the next Pangolin Champion? We want to meet you!