February is dedicated to raising awareness about pangolin conservation. On the 13th of February 2025, two days before World Pangolin Day, the Namibian Youth Chamber of Environment (NYCE) hosted a webinar to learn about pangolin conservation in Namibia. The chamber invited Kelsey Prediger, founder and director of the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation (PCRF), to share her work and insights.
Prediger’s talk focused on the Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), which is the only pangolin species found in southern Africa. The other seven are located in other parts of Africa and Asia.
Pangolin biology and ecological value
Pangolins are “ecosystem gardeners”, as they aerate the soil and promote nutrient cycling through digging and burrowing. Their main diet consists of ants and termites, thus keeping these insect populations in check.
After birth, pangolin scales are pink and soft. They stay in their natal burrow until the scales harden. Baby pangolins become more active outside their burrows at around two months, by which time they start feeding on ants and termites to supplement their mother’s milk. Around 10 to 12 months, pangolins disperse to find a home range of their own. At this stage, they are particularly vulnerable to poaching.
Prediger’s work focuses on determining the ecological needs of pangolins. This information is essential for the rehabilitation and successful release of pangolins that have been confiscated alive from traffickers.
Factors threatening pangolin survival
Ironically, the scales that protect pangolins from predators are the main reason why humans kill them – the biggest threat to their survival. Their scales are used in traditional Asian medicine, while other body parts are eaten as a delicacy in Vietnam and China. Live pangolins fetch higher prices than dead ones, as some Eastern restaurants prefer to kill the animal at the table rather than serve the meat. This high level of demand has led to pangolins being considered the most trafficked mammals in the world.
In Africa, pangolins are associated with many traditional beliefs. For some, they bring good luck and rain, while others associate them with bad luck and even death, in yet other places they are killed to eat. These beliefs lead to people either protecting pangolins or killing them for food, medicinal or ritual purposes.
In Namibia, the number of registered pangolin poaching or trafficking cases (499) exceeded those of elephants and rhinos combined (470) during 2018-2023. Prediger emphasised that these case numbers underestimate the scale of poaching, since no carcasses are left behind, unlike rhino and elephant cases. Based on the proportion of arrests to poaching incidents for other species, she estimates that 2,000-3,000 pangolins were poached in this period. Unfortunately, trafficking continues to increase despite improvements in law enforcement and legal frameworks aimed at protecting this species.
Apart from illegal trade, pangolins are threatened by habitat loss, electric fencing, road accidents, climate change and drought. Prediger mentioned that during the drought of 2019, 16 of the 32 pangolins she had tagged for research died of starvation.
Fighting for pangolins through collaboration and capacity building
Prediger’s PCRF recognises the need for awareness, collaboration and capacity building to reduce pangolin poaching and trafficking. In Nyae Nyae Conservancy, PCRF employs pangolin guardians to promote wildlife protection and encourage local people to report pangolin sightings – thankfully, the Indigenous San people living here believe that pangolins bring good luck and should be protected (read more).
Across Namibia, the public is encouraged to report sightings (tracks, carcasses or live pangolins) using online platforms like EIS or iNaturalist. Anyone can report suspected poaching or trafficking activities to local police, or use the free SMS hotline 55555 to report anonymously.
PCRF trains law enforcement personnel and partners with other organisations to enhance the effectiveness of wildlife protection measures. Students – both local and international – are encouraged to join the foundation for internships and research opportunities.
So far, the PCRF has released 33 pangolins – 15 in national parks and 18 on private land – across the country. They have also tagged 17 wild pangolins on communal land and 44 on private land using devices that allow researchers to monitor their movements. One of Prediger’s goals for 2025 is to employ pangolin guardians in the Kavango and Zambezi Regions to help with community outreach and awareness.
Conclusion
NYCE members attending the webinar were eager to learn more about how they could get involved in pangolin conservation, through a question-and-answer session covering law enforcement, remote sensing, and research.