Threats to Pangolins & Pangolin Conservation

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Re: Pangolins

Post by Lisbeth »

Okie, there are only two posts re pangolin poaching under mammals, all the others are in the "endangered species" topic. I'll move those two posts \O


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Re: Pangolins

Post by Lisbeth »

Could YouTube help save the Pangolin?

BY PANGOLINS AFRICA - 10 MAY 2019 - MEDIA RELEASE

View the film trailer:

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Eye of the Pangolin, the ground-breaking new documentary about the most trafficked mammal on earth, will premiere on Friday 17 May, Endangered Species Day, and will be freely available online for worldwide viewing from Saturday 18 May. Pangolin.Africa, an NPO dedicated to the conservation of this species and a major partner in the production of the film, is taking a unique approach to distribution of this much-anticipated film, in a bold attempt to make this the most watched wildlife documentary ever.

Pangolin.Africa is utilising streaming services, as opposed to more traditional channels, for global distribution thus harnessing the power and popularity of YouTube to take the film to the world.

Says, Toby Jermyn, director of Pangolin.Africa, “We are fortunate to have secured funding for production of the film so we don’t have to sell it on to networks to recoup costs. As we are not tied to a distributor we’re able to make it freely available as an open source film, allowing us to reach the greatest possible number of viewers in the shortest possible time. The widespread accessibility of the internet – even in remote areas – means fewer barriers to entry for viewers than if we were to screen the film in cinemas. Currently the most watched wildlife documentary on YouTube has around 10 million views and we are determined to exceed this.”

Pangolin.Africa’s participation in the production of the film aligns strongly with one of the primary aims of the NGO which is to highlight the plight of the four African pangolin species. To ensure the greatest impact of the film the organisation will be translating Eye of the Pangolin into a number of African languages and will take the film to rural schools and other educational establishments in high poaching areas across the continent through an intensive screening campaign.

The situation facing the African pangolin has reached a tipping point. A growing demand for their scales and meat used in Traditional Chinese Medicine is fuelling the horrific poaching and illegal trade that is pushing this species to the edge of extinction. In April 2019 alone, two separate seizures by Singaporean customs officials resulted in more than 24 tonnes of pangolin scales being confiscated. This equates to approximately 69,000 pangolins.

The producers of Eye of the Pangolin believe that if people come to know the pangolin they will care enough to help put an end to this wildlife crime before this species disappears in our lifetime. In addition to creating widespread awareness of the species, the film will also serve as a free online tool for education in schools, wildlife colleges and environmental law enforcement agencies.

“We are excited about the incredible potential the film has to tell people about pangolins and the urgent need to work together to save them. We are confident that embracing modern and freely available distribution channels is the most effective approach to help us quickly gain ground in the fight to save a species.” says Jermyn.

Production of Eye of the Pangolin film has been made possible with generous support from WildAid, The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, Foundation Marchig, Tanglewood Foundation, Biggestleaf Travel and Pangolin Photo Safaris.

Ends.

Contact for further information

Catherine Ritchie, Marketing & Communications
T +27 (0)21 418 2312 | C +27 (0)82 321 2794 | E catherine@pangolin.africa


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Re: Pangolins

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Video: Three pangolins returned to the wild in Malawi

Posted on 10 May, 2019 by News Desk in Conservation, News, Wildlife and the News Desk post series

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Media release from Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Pangolins, the scaled, prehistoric-looking creatures native to Africa and Asia, are the most illegally trafficked mammal on the planet. Conservative estimates are that 10,000 of them are killed and exported every year. However, the likelihood is the figure is magnitudes higher than that. Over one million pangolins are thought to have been illegally poached between 2000 and 2013*. (*World Animal Protection)

It’s therefore increasingly rare to read a good news story about pangolins, let alone catch a glimpse of one of these unique animals in the wild. However, the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT), a leading conservation organisation in Malawi, have been able to provide both.

Image
© Amanda Harwood

Earlier this week, the animal care team at LWT were alerted to the presence of three adult pangolins which were being held at a local police station after confiscation from an individual illegally in possession of them.

Pangolins are killed for their meat which is considered a delicacy and their scales which are used in folk remedies in places like China and Vietnam – and it’s unknown whether these three were destined for the same fate.

Image
© Amanda Harwood

Given the time spent away from their natural habitat and the undoubted stress caused by being kept in human captivity, it was decided that the pangolins needed to be taken into the care of LWT who run the award-winning Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, a wild animal rescue and rehabilitation facility in Malawi’s capital.

The pangolins were handed over to LWT’s expert animal carers and taken straight to the centre where they were given a full veterinary check, as well as food and water, and were placed in an environment as closely matched to their natural one as possible.

Image
© Amanda Harwood

Not every animal that arrives at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is lucky enough to be released back into their natural habitats. Some are too injured, too young, or too humanised to rejoin the wild, and remain under care at LWT’s sanctuary.

However, the ending for the pangolins was the happiest that could have been asked for.

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Pangolin in the wild in Malawi
© Amanda Harwood

After two days of recuperation, the animals were placed in crates and transported to a suitable location a few hours outside of Lilongwe to be finally freed.

Under a dramatic Africa sunset, the trio were removed from their crates, and after some initial hesitation, one by one uncurled their scales and shuffled off, in their own inimitable way, back into the wild of Malawi where they belong. Safe at last.

Watch as one of the pangolins heads back out into the wild after being released (© Amanda Harwood)

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Re: Pangolins

Post by Richprins »

^Q^


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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Re: Pangolins

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Pangolin.Africa

Eye of the Pangolin is the story of two men on a mission to share the wonder of all four species of African pangolin on camera for the very first time in this ambitious documentary.

Follow our journey as we travel the continent, from exotic jungles to the African savannah, to learn more about those caring for and studying the movements of this extraordinary animal they are captivated by these strange, secretive creatures and document the race to save them from being poached to extinction.

Filmed entirely in Ultra High Definition, the film is freely available online for worldwide viewing without commercials.

Our goal is to open your eyes and make Eye of the Pangolin the most widely watched wildlife documentaries on the planet, that will be seen by millions of people around the world via free online platforms, through schools and other educational establishments, at wildlife film festivals, and at screenings supported other conservation organisations everywhere. By making the film open source we can reach the greatest possible number of viewers because we believe that if people come to know the African pangolin and it’s natural beauty they will care enough to somehow help put a stop to the horrific trade.

Narrated by Bruce Young, Director of the award winning Blood Lions documentary.

Due to the sensitive nature of some of the content on the film, we would recommend an age limit of 13 years or younger.

Copyright ©2019 Pangolin Africa NPC. All rights reserved

Follow #EyeOfThePangolin for the journey of the film.

Watch Eye of the Pangolin on Pangolin.Africa: https://www.pangolin.africa/the-film

Connect with Pangolin.Africa:
Like Pangolin.Africa on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pangolin.afr...
Follow Pangolin.Africa on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PangolinAfrica
Follow Pangolin.Africa on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/pangolinafr...

SUBSCRIBE to the OFFICIAL Pangolin.Africa YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/pangolinafrica

More videos in the Pangolin collection: https://bit.ly/2VjWvt2

Production of Eye of the Pangolin film has been made possible with the generous support from:
Pangolin Photo Safaris
Biggestleaf Travel
WildAid
The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust
Foundation Marchig
Tanglewood Foundation

Pangolin.Africa is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of the most highly trafficked wildlife species on the continent – the African Pangolin.

Through our three-pronged approach of Publicity, Participation and Protection, we are working with partners in the tourism, conservation and corporate fields to increase general awareness of the species; contribute towards much-needed research to save a species; help combat the illegal wildlife trade; end african wildlife crime; protect our pangolins; and stop poaching and trafficking that is threatening the survival of this endangered species.


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Re: Pangolins

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NOT ONE BUT TWO PANGOLINS SAVED FROM THE ILLEGAL TRADE

Rescue 1by1 Natalie Rogers recently assisted with the stabilisation of a female Temminck's pangolin ‘Luna’ as we named her from her personality and arrival around full moon, seized from the illegal trade by officials.

Luna’s poachers had kept her captive for a prolonged period of time, whilst looking for a buyer on the black market.

Confiscated and in need of immediate medical attention, she was sent to the nearest trained team to be triaged and stabilised.

During routine tests, it was detected that there was more than just one life to be saved, when Luna was found to be pregnant. The tiny foetus has so far survived the terrible ordeal his/her mother had endured, but it’s still early days as Luna continues her rehabilitation.

After several days of stabilisation with the veterinary team and our pangolin rehabber, she was sent to a secure undisclosed location off site to continue care by a specialist pangolin team from the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital , until she is well enough for release.

Due to the nature of our work we often can not give you real time updates or go into extensive detail on each individual case, but the work continues often behind the scenes, to save the worlds most trafficked animal.



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Re: Pangolins

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^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: Pangolins

Post by Lisbeth »

Man Friday: Earth’s great gardeners of the wild under threat

Opinionista • Tony Weaver • 4 June 2019

Pangolins are now the most heavily poached mammal on Earth, but because so little is known about these elusive and enigmatic creatures, they don’t get anywhere as much attention as the more charismatic species, like rhinos, elephants and lions.

I spent many of my childhood holidays in the bush, and a large part of my adult working life has been in the savannahs, deserts, mountains and rain forests of Africa.

I have tracked and seen some of Africa’s rarest animals – desert-dwelling black rhino and elephants in the Kaokoveld; Walia ibex and gelada baboons in Ethiopia’s Simyen Mountains; Ethiopian wolves and giant mole-rats in the Bale Mountains; gerenuks and Grevy’s Zebra in Kenya’s Samburu; 13 different primate species in one day in Uganda’s Kibale Forest; and even an incredibly rare melanistic black leopard in Kenya’s Aberdares National Park.

But I have only ever seen a pangolin once – a dead Temminck’s ground pangolin, killed by a bush fire in Zambia’s Kafue National Park.

It takes around 1,900 pangolins killed to produce one ton of scales. In 2018, 48 tons of scales were seized, the equivalent of 91,200 pangolins – a helluva lot more gets through undetected. Pangolin scales are a lot easier to smuggle than rhino horns or elephant tusks.

Pangolins are now the most heavily poached mammal on Earth, but because so little is known about these elusive and enigmatic creatures, they don’t get anywhere as much attention as the more charismatic species, like rhino, elephants and lions.

There are four species of African pangolin: African white-bellied pangolin, giant ground pangolin, Temminck’s ground pangolin and black-bellied pangolin.

Film-makers Bruce Young, director of the acclaimed documentary, Blood Lions, and Johan Vermeulen set out to capture all four species on film. The result is the documentary, Eye of the Pangolin.

The film, which recently had its only big screen showing, in Cape Town, has now gone straight to YouTube for free viewing and maximum exposure as part of a campaign by the NGO, Pangolin Africa.

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Pangolins, or scaly anteaters, have always been part of the bushmeat menu in Africa, but they have been hunted in a completely sustainable way for their flesh, not their scales.

But in recent years, like rhino horn, their scales and foetuses have come into high demand for traditional medicine in China and Vietnam, where they are used to “treat” everything from arthritis to cancer.

Although very little research has been done on them, in part because of their elusive, largely nocturnal character, scientists are now beginning to realise they play a crucial role in especially forest ecology.

Walking on their hind legs, they have over-sized claws on their front legs, used for digging up ants and termites, turning over the top surface of the earth, composting it, and burying seeds for germination.

Interviewed in the film, Lisa Hywood of Zimbabwe’s Tikki Hywood Foundation, says “if we lose the pangolins, we lose the Earth’s great gardeners.

“We know pretty accurately how many elephants and rhinos there are, but we have no idea how many pangolins there are.”

Launching Eye of the Pangolin straight on to YouTube is unconventional, and a calculated move on the part of the film-makers and their backers to garner as much publicity and spread knowledge about the plight of pangolins.

The film is compelling viewing, please download and watch it – and spread the word. Pangolins need urgent intervention if the great gardeners of the wild are to be saved from extinction.


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Re: Pangolins

Post by Alf »

Poor little things :-(


Next trip to the bush??

Let me think......................
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Re: Pangolins

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Instagram influencer eats pangolin in Gabon – calls it ‘armadillo’

Posted on 6 June, 2019 by Africa Geographic Editorial in News, Poaching and the News Desk post series.

Image
Screengrab from the video below, of Jessica Nabongo being shown a picture of what her partner is eating.

The video and information was supplied to Africa Geographic by an anonymous contributor, who expressed concern that a famous Instagram personality is glamorizing eating pangolin – the world’s most trafficked animal.

An Instagram influencer with 116,000 followers has uploaded a video where her partner is seen eating pangolin meat in a restaurant in Gabon. The video is no longer available on Instagram, but our contributor sent us a recording of the video – see below.

Jessica Nabongo is on a mission thecatchmeifyoucan to “be 1st black woman to travel to all countries”. Her website lists numerous sponsors and requests donations to enable her to achieve her goal.

Our contributor contacted Ms. Nabongo on Instagram and questioned her eating protected wildlife and making it ‘cool or mainstream’ for her followers, but Ms. Nabongo did not respond. Our contributor then sent the same query to Ms. Nabongo’s lunch companion, who responded that they thought they were eating anteater and did not know about the plight of pangolins.

During the video, Ms. Nabongo says “People have told me that Gabon has some of the best bush meat, this we believe … is an armadillo.” At this point, Ms. Nagongo pans across to someone at the lunch table showing a pictures of various species of pangolin on their mobile phone. Towards the end of the video, in response to being asked by Ms. Nabongo if it tastes like chicken, her partner comments on how thick the skin of the pangolin is, and Ms. Nabongo retorts: “You’re basically eating a dinosaur”, at which point she and her partner laugh.

Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animal, and face enormous pressure from poaching to supply the bush meat industry and insatiable demand for their scales from Far East countries, especially China, where the scales are used for their supposed medicinal properties. Read more about Africa’s pangolins, including the four species, here: Fascinating Pangolin Facts.

If you want to see the video, click on the title


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