Protecting Pangolins

Recent updates from our project partners indicate encouraging progress for pangolin conservation in the Nyekweri Forest, where a combination of community-led land protection and species monitoring is delivering amazing results.

Two new wild pangolins have been documented in the past month by our partners. The first pangolin was identified via a camera trap: a healthy pup seen riding on its mother’s tail, indicating a successful recent birth. The second was an adult male, sighted by a local student riding his bike home one evening. He immediately alerted the team, who responded quickly and confirmed it was a previously unknown individual. This marks the first live pangolin reported by the community in over six months and is a direct outcome of long-term outreach and education with local households.

Both sightings occurred in areas of protected forest now secured through conservation lease agreements. These agreements, held and managed by local conservancies, guarantee 15 years of protection across over 7,000 acres of community land. This model ensures that landowners are directly compensated for conserving critical habitat, and that conservation is driven by the people who live alongside it.

Habitat restoration and the deactivation of electrified fencing have significantly reduced threats to wildlife, including pangolins. The pangolin pup and adult male were both found in areas where fencing has been made wildlife-safe and where disturbance is actively minimised through lease compliance and community patrols.

Community guardians play a critical role in this success. They regularly engage with families to raise awareness about the threats facing pangolins, monitor leased areas, and respond to sightings. Their outreach has directly led to increased trust, better reporting, and improved data on pangolin movement and health.

Every reported pangolin sighting is verified by the monitoring team, and local residents are invited to be present during rescue or release operations. This approach encourages transparency and fosters shared responsibility for wildlife protection.

These developments confirm that the conservation model in place is working. The protection of intact habitat, combined with active community participation and real economic incentives, is creating the conditions for wild pangolins not only to survive but potentially begin to recover.

While challenges remain, these recent updates offer genuine cause for hope. Pangolins are present, breeding, and being protected by local people who are increasingly empowered to lead conservation on their own terms.

Your continued support helps make this possible, enabling habitat protection, community engagement, and the recovery of one of Africa’s most threatened and elusive mammals.