Pangolin Conservation Organizations Worldwide: Who Is Fighting for the World’s Most Trafficked Mammals?

A Global Network United for Pangolins

Pangolins hold an unwelcome distinction: they are widely considered the most trafficked mammals on the planet. All eight species—four in Africa and four in Asia—face escalating threats from poaching, habitat loss, and an illegal trade driven primarily by demand for their scales and meat. In response, a growing network of conservation organizations has emerged across multiple continents, pooling scientific expertise, field resources, and policy influence to pull these remarkable creatures back from the brink.

From international bodies setting global strategy to grassroots rescue centres nursing individual pangolins back to health, the landscape of pangolin conservation is both broad and deeply specialized. Understanding who these organizations are, what they do, and how they work together is essential for anyone who wants to contribute meaningfully to pangolin protection.

International Organizations Leading the Charge

IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

Formally established in 2012, the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group serves as the principal international authority on pangolin conservation. Operating under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission, this group brings together researchers, conservationists, and policymakers from across the globe to coordinate a unified approach to pangolin protection. The group’s 2023 Scaling Up Pangolin Conservation report provides the current strategic framework that guides priorities for research, enforcement, community engagement, and habitat protection across all eight species and their range states.

TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN. It plays a critical role in pangolin conservation by tracking and analysing illegal trade patterns, identifying trafficking routes, and providing the evidence base that underpins law enforcement and policy interventions. TRAFFIC’s research has been instrumental in documenting the scale of pangolin trafficking and in supporting the 2016 CITES decision to move all eight pangolin species to Appendix I, effectively banning international commercial trade.

WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)

WWF contributes to pangolin conservation through its broader campaigns against illegal wildlife trade, its policy advocacy at international forums, and its field programmes in key pangolin range countries. WWF’s global reach and political influence make it an important voice in pushing for stronger legal protections, better enforcement, and increased funding for pangolin conservation at the governmental level.

Zoological Society of London – EDGE Programme

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) supports pangolin conservation through its EDGE of Existence programme, which focuses on evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species. Pangolins, as the only mammals with true scales and members of their own taxonomic order (Pholidota), rank highly on the EDGE list. ZSL’s work includes funding field research, supporting local conservation leaders, and raising awareness of pangolins’ unique evolutionary significance.

African Organizations Protecting Pangolins

African Pangolin Working Group

Based in South Africa, the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) coordinates pan-African research and conservation efforts for the continent’s four pangolin species: the Temminck’s ground pangolin, the giant ground pangolin, the white-bellied pangolin, and the black-bellied pangolin. The APWG operates across multiple southern African countries, facilitating collaboration between researchers, veterinarians, law enforcement agencies, and conservation practitioners. Their work includes developing best-practice protocols for pangolin handling and rehabilitation, maintaining databases on pangolin distribution and trade, and training wildlife officials in pangolin identification and care.

Tikki Hywood Foundation

The Tikki Hywood Foundation in Zimbabwe runs one of the longest-standing pangolin conservation programmes in Africa, having worked with pangolins since the 1990s. The foundation specializes in the rescue and rehabilitation of Temminck’s ground pangolins confiscated from the illegal trade. Their programme is notable for the intensive, individualized care each pangolin receives, including accompanied foraging walks that allow rescued animals to rebuild their strength and natural behaviours before release. The Tikki Hywood Foundation also conducts community education programmes and works with Zimbabwean law enforcement on anti-trafficking operations.

Pangolin Conservation (South Africa)

Pangolin Conservation, based in South Africa, focuses on research, education, and advocacy for African pangolin species. The organization works to raise public awareness about the threats pangolins face and supports field-based conservation initiatives in the region. Their efforts complement the broader work of the African Pangolin Working Group by engaging local communities and building support for pangolin protection at the grassroots level.

Save Pangolins

Save Pangolins is a global advocacy organization with a strong focus on African pangolin conservation. It serves as a public-facing platform for pangolin awareness, producing educational content, coordinating World Pangolin Day activities, and directing funding to on-the-ground conservation projects. World Pangolin Day, observed on the third Saturday of February each year since its establishment in 2012, has become a significant annual event for raising global awareness about pangolin conservation needs.

Asian Organizations on the Front Lines

Save Vietnam’s Wildlife

Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) operates the largest pangolin rehabilitation programme in Asia from its centre in Cuc Phuong National Park. Founded by Vietnamese conservationist Nguyen Van Thai, SVW has rescued and released hundreds of pangolins back to the wild—primarily Sunda pangolins and Chinese pangolins confiscated from the illegal trade. The organization combines hands-on rescue work with anti-poaching patrols, community engagement, and long-term population monitoring to ensure that released animals survive and thrive in their natural habitats.

Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program

The Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program (CPCP) works in Vietnam to protect both pangolin species found in the country. The programme conducts field research to better understand pangolin ecology and population dynamics, operates community-based conservation initiatives in key habitat areas, and collaborates with Vietnamese authorities on law enforcement efforts. Their research contributes vital data on pangolin behaviour, habitat requirements, and population trends that inform broader conservation planning.

Pangolin Conservation Center, Cuc Phuong

Located within Cuc Phuong National Park, the Pangolin Conservation Center serves as a dedicated facility for pangolin rehabilitation and research. Working alongside Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, the centre provides veterinary care for confiscated pangolins, develops improved rehabilitation techniques, and contributes to scientific understanding of pangolin biology. Cuc Phuong has become a globally recognized hub for pangolin conservation expertise in Southeast Asia.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) conducts pangolin rescue and rehabilitation as part of its broader wildlife conservation mission. Operating in Thailand, where the Sunda pangolin faces pressure from both poaching and habitat loss, WFFT provides care for confiscated and injured pangolins and works with Thai authorities on wildlife crime response. Their efforts contribute to the regional network of rescue and rehabilitation capacity across Southeast Asia.

“Pangolin conservation requires action at every level—from international policy frameworks to the individual care of each rescued animal. No single organization can do it alone.”

How These Organizations Collaborate Across Continents

One of the most important developments in pangolin conservation has been the growth of cross-continental collaboration. The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group serves as the central coordinating body, bringing together experts from African and Asian range states to share knowledge, standardize research methods, and align conservation priorities. The group’s Scaling Up Pangolin Conservation framework explicitly calls for strengthened cooperation between organizations working on different species and in different regions.

TRAFFIC’s trade monitoring provides intelligence that connects seizures and trafficking routes across continents, revealing the global nature of the illegal pangolin trade. African pangolin scales have increasingly appeared in Asian markets, making cross-border collaboration between African organizations like the APWG and Asian groups like Save Vietnam’s Wildlife not just beneficial but essential. Joint training programmes, shared databases, and coordinated advocacy campaigns have become standard practice among the leading organizations in the field.

International conferences and workshops, often facilitated by the IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group and supported by ZSL, WWF, and other international bodies, bring field practitioners together to exchange lessons learned from rescue and rehabilitation programmes, discuss emerging threats, and develop collaborative responses to new trafficking patterns.

How You Can Support Pangolin Conservation

Every individual can contribute to pangolin protection. Here are practical ways to make a difference:

• Donate directly to organizations doing hands-on work, such as Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, the Tikki Hywood Foundation, or Save Pangolins.
• Participate in World Pangolin Day each February by sharing information, attending events, or organizing awareness activities in your community.
• Educate others by sharing accurate, science-based information about pangolins and the threats they face with your networks.
• Advocate for stronger laws by contacting your elected representatives about wildlife trafficking legislation and enforcement funding.
• Support sustainable livelihoods in pangolin range communities by backing organizations that provide economic alternatives to poaching.
• Report suspicious activity if you encounter pangolin products for sale online or in markets, report them to local wildlife authorities or organizations like TRAFFIC.

The fight to save pangolins is far from over, but the dedication and expertise of these organizations—spanning continents, disciplines, and decades of work—offer genuine grounds for hope. By supporting their efforts, you become part of a global community working to ensure that pangolins continue to walk the forests and savannas of Africa and Asia for generations to come.