Posts for : January 2015

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31 Jan 2015

Official Launch of African Pangolin Working Group  0

 2015/01/31    ,
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The African Pangolin Working Group will be formally launched on 19 February 2015. Photo via pangolin.org.za
The African Pangolin Working Group will be formally launched on 19 February 2015. Photo via pangolin.org.za

The African Pangolin Working Group (APWG), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and awareness of all four species of African pangolin, will be formally launched on 19 February 2015 — just two days before World Pangolin Day.

The APWG is the official African representative of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Pangolin Specialist Group and, as such, undertakes trade monitoring, research, rehabilitation, law enforcement and community projects across multiple African states. It was established in 2011 and registered with the South African Government in 2013.

“The African Pangolin Working Group is an organisation of like-minded people with a passion to conserve this rare and endangered species. Through this group we hope to bring a conscious change towards the protection of this shy and enigmatic animal – the Pangolin!”, says Lisa Hywood, Tikki Hywood Trust (Zimbabwe) and founding member of APWG.

Pangolins are hunted in Africa for bushmeat and traditional medicine. Hywood explains that African pangolins are under additional pressure as the Asian pangolin species have already been hunted to near extinction. “Africa has become Asia’s new harvesting ground to meet the insatiable demand for pangolin and their body parts.”

According to the APWG website:

Pangolins in Africa are under increasing threat from man. Every year numerous individuals are illegally exported to Asian markets while many more individuals are traded domestically, are accidentally killed on electrified game fences and on roads. The current rate of consumption is believed to far exceed the reproductive potential of the species, with the result that these species are being pushed ever closer to extinction.

At the moment, trade in African pangolins mostly goes unnoticed. The Working Group believes that public support for spreading pangolin conservation awareness is crucial for the conservation of this elusive and under-studied group of animals.

“With our official launch in February, we hope to reach a global audience to highlight the plight of these mammals and bring the world’s attention to a group of animals that face a very real extinction crisis if a concerted effort is not made to reverse their rapid decline,” said the APWG’s Co-Chairs, Darren Pietersen and Raymond Jansen.

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23 Jan 2015

Fourth Annual World Pangolin Day is February 21  0

 2015/01/23    , ,
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Calling all Pangolin People: The fourth annual World Pangolin Day will be celebrated on February 21, 2015!
Calling all Pangolin People: The fourth annual World Pangolin Day will be celebrated on February 21, 2015!

World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in February, and this year, the special day falls on February 21, 2015.

World Pangolin Day day is an opportunity for pangolin enthusiasts to join together in raising awareness about these unique mammals — and their plight. Pangolins are unfortunately one of the most frequently encountered mammals in the illegal wildlife trade.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in World Pangolin Day! The aim of World Pangolin Day is to draw as much attention to pangolins as possible, since they are relatively unknown outside of Africa and Asia.

12 things you can do to help pangolins on World Pangolin Day and beyond:

  1. TWEET using the hashtag #WorldPangolinDay
  2. LIKE the World Pangolin Day Facebook page
  3. BLOG about pangolins on World Pangolin Day
  4. SHARE pangolin information on your social media networks
  5. CREATE pangolin art — paint, draw, sculpt, tattoo
  6. EDUCATE by giving a presentation about pangolins at school
  7. SUPPORT organizations which are working to protect pangolins
  8. HOST a World Pangolin Day party or event (post your photos on the World Pangolin Day page!)
  9. BAKE cookies or a cake in the shape of a pangolin (post your photos on the World Pangolin Day page!)
  10. REQUEST full enforcement of laws and penalties for smuggling pangolins (and other wildlife)
  11. INFORM traditional medicine prescribers that the use of pangolin scales is illegal (and there are no proven health benefits to consuming scales — they are made of keratin, just like fingernails!)
  12. NOTIFY the authorities if you see pangolins for sale at markets or on restaurant menus, or if you know of anyone capturing or possessing pangolins.

World Pangolin Day: That's how we roll!

A few facts about pangolins:

There are a total of eight species of pangolin on our Planet, and all pangolin populations are declining, due to the illegal trade for meat (it’s considered a delicacy in China and Vietnam) and scales (used in traditional Chinese medicine, despite no evidence of medicinal properties).

Four pangolin species live in Asia:

  • Thick-tailed Pangolin (also called Indian Pangolin), Manis crassicaudata
  • Phillipine Pangolin, Manis culionensis
  • Sunda Pangolin (also called Malayan Pangolin), Manis javanica
  • Chinese Pangolin, Manis pentadactyla

Four pangolin species live in Africa:

  • Three-Cusped Pangolin (also called African White-Bellied Pangolin and Tree Pangolin), Phataginus tricuspis
  • Giant Ground Pangolin, Smutsia gigantea
  • Cape Pangolin (also called Temminck’s Pangolin), Smutsia temminckii
  • Long-Tailed Pangolin (also called Black-Bellied Pangolin), Uromanis tetradactyla

Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are unique creatures that are covered in hard, plate-like scales. They are insectivorous (feeding on insects) and are mainly nocturnal. Their name, “pangolin”, is derived from the Malay word “pengguling”, which loosely translates to “something that rolls up”. Together, the eight species comprise their very own Order: Pholidota.

Meet the Pangolin!

For more information or media inquiries about World Pangolin Day, please contact: rhishja (at) annamiticus (dot) com or Lisa Hywood at tikkihywoodtrust (at) gmail (dot) com

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