How Many Giant Pangolins Are There? Our Lessons Learned Through Tagging and Technology
What if the key to saving a critical habitat lay in protecting its most elusive resident?
Pangolins are widely known as the most trafficked mammal. Here, in the Nyekweri region, the greater threat is habitat loss, human-based injury and death by electric fencing.
In 2022, The Pangolin Project (TPP) began its mission in the Nyekweri Ecosystem, a small forest on the western edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve and home to Kenya’s last remaining Giant Ground Pangolins. These gentle giants symbolize the rich biodiversity of this extraordinary area. Recognizing the urgency, TPP team relocated their whole team to Nyekweri to not only save this critical species, but in turn many others. But, how?
It is the most biodiverse area of the Greater Mara Ecosystem. Home to a number of unique Congo Guinea species including over 25% of the birds in the Greater Mara Ecosystem which are only found here.
It’s our mission to restore 25000 acres of Nyekweri through innovative conservation methods in Nature-Based Financing, Community Ownership and Monitoring Species with smart technology.
So, how do you count and protect an elusive, nocturnal creature like the Pangolin?
The Million Dollar Question: How Many Giant Pangolins Are There In This Region?
By 2023, TPP estimated only 30 Giant Ground Pangolins were present in the area, likely an optimistic figure. During initial monitoring, the odds were stacked against them, recording losses of two to three Pangolins monthly on electric fencing aloneThankfully this death toll has reduced due to defencing and de-electrifying efforts alongside the community.
How far down the curve of loss of Pangolins were TPP when they started? Most other conservation organisations were hesitant to work in the region and with approximately 2000 land parcels and respective owners to join them in their aims, it is no small feat to succeed in their mission.
Estimating the Pangolin population is challenging. Pangolins are solitary, nocturnal animals, making them hard to spot and count. Despite the obstacles, TPP and partners have developed several methods to track and estimate their numbers
Community, Camera, Action!
Camera Trap Surveys: Catching Pangolins on camera at night gives a good proxy for their distribution. Identifying individual Pangolins is difficult. Their unique scale patterns can only really be distinguished during the day.
Community Reports: Local communities play a crucial role in reporting sightings and alerting TPP. These reports allow the team to verify and sometimes tag the Pangolins, providing more valuable distribution data.
Tagging: The ultimate way to count, identify and monitor movement. But, this means catching and handling the creatures. The tags often come off, but the bolts left in the scales indicate previously tagged Pangolins. TPP are working with Kenya Wildlife Service and Africa Wildlife Tracking technology which are well-versed in a number of Pangolin projects.
By using not one but three ways to monitor Pangolins TPP can gain a more realistic estimate of their numbers. To improve accuracy furtther, they have expanded camera trap surveys into more remote areas and have hired a Conservation Monitoring Manager.
This raises a critical question: What is a viable number for species restoration? And perhaps a more pertinent question is does the number matter?
TPP story, much like that of the white rhino with very few remaining, underscores the importance of investing in conservation, even when numbers are low. Success lies in habitat restoration, community engagement, and the relentless pursuit of innovative conservation methods.
Get access to exclusive Nyekweri wildlife footage and expert educational insights. From Pangolins to Leopards. Explore the incredible behaviours of animals that YOU are helping to protect!
A first! A Giant Ground Pangolin and her pup caught on camera in Nyekweri
The Bigger Picture: Habitat Protection
The focus isn’t just on numbers but on habitat protection. Aiming to conserve 25,000 acres for biodiversity, ensuring a habitat not only for Pangolins but for myriad species. Deforestation and charcoal operations are slowing down, and the hectares leases with TPP are increasing, marking a success in habitat restoration and community buy-in.
And this is just the beginning. TPP have engaged 1,450 households and an estimated 8,000 people in awareness-raising activities since we joined the community. They’ve protected over 4000 aces of forest and counting and established representative governance structures to ensure community engagement in conservation.
The Pangolin is a unique species that serves as a catalyst for habitat restoration efforts. While we may never know the exact number of Pangolins that make a population viable, the focus should be on protecting and restoring their habitat. This approach ensures the survival of not just Pangolins but the entire ecosystem they inhabit. That would be a win for nature.
In 2024, we captured the ultimate sign of hope: two pangolin pups thriving in their natural habitat. Thanks to your support we can ensure this win for nature is just the beginning.
Your generosity today protects pangolins and the ecosystems they call home.