Protecting Giant Pangolins
The giant pangolin is an elusive and mysterious scaled mammal. Despite its status as the largest pangolin species in the world, very little is known about its distribution and behaviours. A ground-breaking study carried out by Chester Zoo conservationists has begun building a picture of this fascinating species, but the findings have emphasised its vulnerability.
The pangolin problem
It is difficult to protect a species if we do not understand their habits, lifestyle and the health and distribution of their populations. Giant pangolins present a real challenge as they are nocturnal, nomadic and extremely shy. It’s vital to any conservation project to establish a baseline for the species, so fluctuations in their behaviour and numbers can be monitored and any risks to them addressed.
The giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) is Endangered. Pangolins are considered the most exploited and illegally trafficked mammal group on Earth. Information-gathering is a crucial first step in the race to save them. Although they are legally protected, they are increasingly threatened by a burgeoning international demand for their meat, which is considered a delicacy in some cultures, and for their scales, which are used in traditional medicines.
The Giant Pangolin Project, led by Chester Zoo in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, has been running since 2018. The study was the first giant pangolin focussed conservation research project in the world.
Tracking pangolins
To date, we have achieved a world first by tagging a giant pangolin in the wild to study its movements and learned to identify individual pangolins by their scale patterns, revealing information about their activity patterns, home ranges and habitat preferences. Camera trap data and the discovery and monitoring of pangolin burrows indicates a decline of the species in key areas, likely driven by poaching.
We have now carried out the largest camera trap survey ever conducted in Uganda, completing surveys in seven protected areas, including Semuliki National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Community volunteers have also played a crucial role in our camera trapping surveys to help locate pangolins outside of legally protected areas.
We have worked with Fauna & Fauna and USAID to connect with communities living within the ranges of pangolins. The people living alongside these shy creatures have intimate knowledge of the landscape, and this knowledge can reveal suitable survey sites as well as local attitudes to the rare animals.
A focus on Murchison Falls National Park
Since 2022, our main focal area has been Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP), where we have established a long-term research camp. The National Parkstretches almost 4,000km2 and connects with neighbouring protected areas to provide a vast and varied habitat for many species.
Despite being a vital haven for threatened animals like the giant pangolin, Nubian giraffe and elephants, and protected by dedicated rangers, MFNP is still a target for poachers.
A preliminary rapid camera trap assessment, carried out by our team, revealed important hotspots within the park for giant pangolins and identified MFNP as a pangolin stronghold, home to two other pangolin species; white-bellied pangolins and Temminck’s pangolin. We have now established a long-term monitoring project in the heart of the part where giant pangolins are detected regularly.
The Future
Using camera traps and AI technologies developed with Liverpool John Moores University’s Conservation AI team, we are now implementing real-time Artificial Intelligence (AI) monitoring systems to identify species presence and track individual animals.
These systems can automatically identify species and notify conservationists in real-time, allowing them to head into the field to observe individual pangolins. On the first night of deployment, a video of a giant pangolin was captured at one of the camera trap locations and an email alert was sent to the team within four minutes of detection.
By combining new technology, local knowledge and careful data analysis, we aim to support the recovery of giant pangolin populations throughout the Murchison Landscape and beyond.
